


That One Summer [Riren/Ereri Erotica]

by DiabLolita



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: AOT smut, Abusive Grisha Yeager, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Sex, Bottom Eren, Bottom Eren Yeager, CEO Levi Ackerman, College Student Eren Yeager, Daddy Kink, Dominant Levi Ackerman, Eren Yeager Is a Ray of Sunshine, Fluff and Smut, From Sex to Love, Gay Pride, Gay Sex, Happy Ending, I Will Go Down With This Ship, LGBTQ Themes, Levi & Isabel Magnolia Are Siblings, Levi/Eren Yeager Fluff, Levi/Eren Yeager Smut, Light BDSM, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Mikasa Ackerman & Levi Are Siblings, Multi, Oral Sex, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Public Sex, Rough Sex, Secretary Eren Yeager, Sex Toys, Shameless Smut, Shower Sex, Submissive Eren Yeager, Sugar Daddy, Top Levi, Top Levi Ackerman, Yaoi, snk smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-15 01:02:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 40
Words: 91,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29551119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DiabLolita/pseuds/DiabLolita
Summary: Levi Ackerman has spent a lifetime pulling himself up by his bootstraps and providing for his family. Now he is 38 years old and the company he started with his college roommate has made the Fortune-500 list three years running. He spends his days at the office, shunning the Miami heat and his nights with an endless stream of gold-diggers who have no more relationship potential than a mail-order-bride...until That One Summer.Eren Yeager is fresh out of Miami Lakes high school and eager for the one in a million job he scored as the interim secretary for the CEO of the company his mother works for. So what if his new boss is rude and eccentric? With the money he makes from this job he can put away enough for his next surfing competition and build up his all-too-meager 'move out' fund. He had no idea what he was getting himself into the first day he stepped foot in his new office...and it all started That One Summer.•°☆°•I do not own Attack on Titan or any of the [unoriginal] characters referenced in this work.
Relationships: Annie Leonhart/Erwin Smith, Armin Arlert/Krista Lenz | Historia Reiss/Ymir, Ereri - Relationship, Furlan Church/Isabel Magnolia, Levi Ackerman & Eren Yeager, Levi/Eren, Marco Bott/Jean Kirstein, Moblit Berner/Hange Zoë, Sasha Blouse/Connie Springer, riren
Comments: 9
Kudos: 94





	1. Chapter 1

Hello my lovelies and welcome to this lovely romp in the bright Miami sunshine. This story started as a combination of me blowing off some steam and a kinky one-shot for the amusement of some bitches (Ackermans_love_420 , magpiequeen444 , jellie_belles , and Nanaleedia my amazing crew from Wattpad ) but since I am absolutely TERRIBLE at one-shots, I just had to turn it into it's own story.

So sit back, relax, and slap on some sunscreen...

♡DiLo


	2. Thank You For The Tea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we find out exactly how Levi takes his tea.

Levi Ackerman paced the length of his office, slamming the flat of his hand against the reinforced glass of the floor to ceiling window that gave him a million dollar view of Miami. He was sick and fucking tired of this  _ job _ , this  _ view _ , and the way everyone in his  _ goddamn company _ expected him to clean up mess after mess for them. He cursed long and loud, glaring balefully at the beautifully setting sun as it glittered across the surface of the ocean. How  _ dare _ it be so at odds with his mood. He'd rather it were a category five hurricane, leaving death and devastation in its wake, wiping this  _ fucking office building  _ and all of Miami beach off the  _ fucking _ map. A timid knock distracted him from his epithets and he practically growled "come in," at the door. 

° ☆ °

"I-I'm just here with your tea, sir."

Eren Yeager poked his unruly mop of brown hair into the office cautiously, chewing on his lip with apprehension. Mr. Ackerman's office was large, larger even than Mr. Smith's, even though they were technically partners, but that still didn't keep his boss's furious ranting strictly private. Over the last few weeks Eren had come to anticipate Mr. Ackerman's moods and he knew, long before the cursing became audible through the thick mahogany door, that tonight was going to be rough. 

He had been privy to the whispers and concerned looks of his colleagues when he started as Mr. Ackerman's interim secretary. He had been warned that the man was a handful- rude, malicious, exacting. Still, Eren felt lucky to be here for more reasons than one. First, this wasn't even a  _ real  _ job, but an extremely prestigious, paid summer internship he had only scored because his mother worked in human resources and knew that Mr. Ackerman's secretary, Petra, was going on Maternity Leave for the whole summer.

Second, it was the perfect way for Eren to bridge the gap between high school and college and put some money toward his next surfing competition in Jupiter. Third, if  _ anyone _ was worth a summer of abuse for, Levi Ackerman provided enough viable man-candy to fuel Eren's fantasies for the rest of his, hopefully long, thirsty life. 

His boss was everything he found mouth-wateringly hot, from the tips of his Italian leather shoes to the fringe of his sleek, jet-black hair. He was middling height, not tall or particularly short, but his stature was the only thing not noteworthy about his appearance. His skin was smooth and pale, with an upturned nose and high cheekbones. His eyes were deepset and the most abnormal, intense shade of grey Eren had ever seen. His body was built; it rippled with muscle under his expensive tailored shirts. 

Eren would have found it impossible to guess his age if he hadn't read it in the interview when Levi was on the cover of Forbes six months ago. He still found it hard to believe that he was thirty-eight years old, a full twenty years older than himself. Far from being a turn-off, the fact that this man had already founded a successful Fortune-500 company when he was still in diapers, only made him hotter. Or maybe it was just one of Eren's kinks. He did tend to go for older guys…

Being Levi's whipping boy honestly wasn't as bad as he expected it to be, after what everyone warned him about. So what if the man liked his tea brewed a certain way and delivered at exactly the same every day? Who cares that his complicated filing system brooked no errors? Even his boss's foul mouth didn't perturb him; had none of the other people in this office ever had a father who was both rigid and impossible to please? Eren's was both, when the man was still around, so at work he felt right at home.

It probably also had something to do with the fact that Eren had a generally cheerful, easy-going personality. He was hard to annoy even on a bad day. There really wasn't anything that would make this job  _ not _ worth it.

Mr. Ackerman's gaze zeroed in on him and he entered the room warily, careful not to jostle the pot of tea in his right hand or the cup and saucer in his left. His boss preferred English teas in the morning and Asian teas in the evening (only taking coffee at midday) and both were brewed and served differently. He set the delicate porcelain teapot and cup down on the desk, feeling heat gather under the collar of his shirt as Levi stared at him, not speaking or blinking, silhouetted against the setting sun. 

"Why do you stay?"

Levi's voice was whip sharp and it sent a thrill through Eren's body. 

"Sir?"

Levi came alive, stalking him slowly as he approached his desk. 

"Everyone has left the office by now. Why do you stay every day? Don't you have friends or some other bullshit to do?" 

Eren bit his lip and stood up straight. Normally he would pour the tea, but he couldn't count on his hands not shaking. If he spilled it across the papers on the desk, Mr. Ackerman would have his ass...then again…

He reached for the pot to lift it with a shaking hand as he answered.

"I s-stay for you, sir. T-t-to make your tea."

Levi leaned across the desk and placed his hand forcefully on top of Eren's to prevent him from lifting the pot. 

"If you break my fucking teapot, brat, I'll beat the shit out of you."

Eren shivered and raised his eyes to look into the hard shards of glass staring at him from across the desk. He could barely whisper the single word on his mind.

" _ Promise _ ?"

His boss only growled in response and Eren gasped as he felt the man's other hand close around the back of his neck and yank him forward into a deep punishing kiss. Levi sucked on his tongue painfully and pressed his other hand into the diffused heat at the top of the ceramic pot. Eren moaned but held still, accepting Levi's ruthless adoration without complaint. The older man pulled back after a moment, trapping Eren's lip painfully between his teeth and tugging before letting him go. 

"Lock the door."

Eren ran to do his bidding and returned to find Levi sitting in his desk chair, slowly massaging his cock through his opened slacks. Eren's eyes were drawn downward, a needy pout appearing on his full lips.

"What are you waiting for,  _ slut _ ? On your  _ fucking knees. _ "

Eren whimpered and slipped to the floor, crawling forward to slot himself in between Levi's spread legs. He went straight for the prize, nimble fingers working Levi's pants down and pulling out his rapidly thickening cock. Eren went to work immediately, licking Levi's slit before drawing an ever widening spiral with his tongue. He sucked the head into his mouth and felt Levi's thighs tense under his fingers. 

"Look at me."

When Eren didn't respond immediately he felt a punishing grip nearly tear his hair out as his head was angled up to the man looming above him.

"You know I'm already in a bad mood, Eren. If you are going to be a disobedient piece of trash you're going to be punished."

Eren felt heat pool in his groin and he couldn't help the moan that escaped his throat when he felt his cock twitch in his pants. Levi was so fucking dominant and nasty with him and it never failed to set him on fire. Everything about this person made him melt. He didn't even understand it. Nobody else in his life spoke to him or treated him this way. Nobody else would walk away from doing so without a broken nose. But with Levi it was  _ different _ . With Levi he  _ wanted _ it. He wanted  _ everything _ . 

° ☆ °

Levi narrowed his eyes at the boy, determined for the moment to ignore how his perfect lips were stretched in an erotic "o" around the tip of his cock. His brilliant turquoise eyes were already glazing over. If Levi didn't distract him, he would come way too soon. Normally he wouldn't mind. He had made it a game, of late, to see how often he could make his tight, young secretary cum in one day, but tonight he wanted to draw things out. It was the only way he would be able to deal with the day's frustration. A quick suck and fuck would be barely enough to blow off some steam. 

"Off."

Eren blinked as Levi pushed him off and to the side. 

"I got you a little present, brat. It's in the bottom drawer."

He gestured and waited, stroking himself deliberately to maintain his erection as Eren fumbled to open the drawer. He liked that he didn't have to command him further. Eren knew he was to retrieve whatever awaited him. 

Levi watched him with hungry eyes as he dug through the drawer, retrieving a brown paper bag. He still found it hard to believe that such a hot, sexy, piece of ass was his plaything. Levi didn't lack for playthings when the mood struck him, but none quite so guileless and willing as his new secretary.

The first time he had seen the kid he had gone nearly rock hard under his desk. He was tall and lanky, with the lean muscular physique of a surfer, which, Levi had learned, he was -and apparently quite a good one at that. His skin was sun-kissed a deep golden brown that looked like it radiated warmth and his eyes were the color of the ocean. 

He  _ looked _ like Florida. Like the living embodiment of a tropical paradise. 

Levi had never really dated "down" in age before...not considering younger men particularly interesting in bed or brilliant at conversation...but this wasn't dating. Though he doubted he would mind seeing someone like Eren outside of work. His youth meant that both his body and his mind were unsullied by the ravages of time that jaded men. He was tight and slick and deliciously submissive in a way Levi had not found older men to be. He wanted to see that sexy body.

"Stand up and strip."

Eren got to his feet and undressed slowly, putting on a little show for him and he wasn't disappointed. The fiery twilit-sky cast shadows on Eren's hard body, illuminating every cut in his rolling muscles. Levi breathed out in appreciation.

"God, your slutty body is so  _ fucking _ perfect."

Eren wiggled a bit. Levi could tell he was blushing, even though the light was too poor for him to see the shade of pink Eren was turning. His cock bobbed in front of him, lean and long like the rest of him, already dripping with precum. If Levi had one complaint about his young lover it was his lack of stamina...which would hopefully be dealt with tonight. Eren had handed him the bag, which he now watched Levi open with interest, his expression turning questioning when he saw the small black contraption he extracted. 

Levi smiled malevolently and rolled his chair forward, trapping Eren against the desk.

"This is your new best friend. This open ring right here slips over your cock and this...longer bit here, gets inserted into your tight little playpen." 

Eren gulped audibly and whimpered, taking the cock ring from Levi's outstretched hand. 

"W-why does it have a-a switch?"

Levi chuckled meaningfully.

"That's because it's also a vibrator, little one."

Eren's eyes widened and Levi slid even closer, taking the toy out of Eren's slack fingers. He was pleased to see that the young man's nerves hadn't softened his erection. He slid the ring down onto his twitching dick and fit it snuggly into place before pulling Eren toward him. 

"On my lap."

The younger man climbed on top of him and Levi was immediately engulfed in his warmth. He even  _ smelled _ like the beach. He touched his skin, everywhere he could reach and kissed him again, taking his time now that he had the boy where he wanted him. He squeezed him and ground up against him, breaking the kiss to tease his hard, brown nipples. Eren keened with delight but it was cut short by Levi shoving his fingers down the boy's throat. He growled into his chest.

"Shut up and suck unless you want this toy going in your ass dry."

His warning was heeded and Levi's cock jumped against Eren's flaming inferno of an ass as the younger man fucked his throat around Levi's fingers. Barely able to contain his own arousal at such an erotic display he pulled them out and slid his hand down to tease Eren's hole, brushing his wet fingers back and forth. Eren cried out as he was entered, Levi prepping him more quickly than he normally would have. After only stretching him adequately for one finger, he hoisted his lover up and supported him as he curved the dangling appendage from the bottom of the ring around and shoved it ruthlessly inside Eren's ass. 

The young man's hole practically sucked it from his fingers and he spasmed in pleasure as Levi tamped it in as deeply as it would go. He gave him a moment to adjust and then pushed him off his lap. 

"Get the fuck back to work or I will leave that toy in you until tomorrow." 

Eren whimpered again but did as he was told, this time keeping his eyes locked on Levi's face as he slid to the floor and swallowed his cock, inch by glorious inch. Levi had no idea how the fuck this kid managed to unhinge his jaw to take him all the way down, but he wasn't going to question his luck. He tangled his fingers in Eren's hair and enjoyed the ride, tipping his head back, but never taking his eyes from the prize. He actually felt himself getting close so he pushed the younger man off again.

"You are starting to look a little too comfortable there, Eren."

Levi leaned down between his legs and kissed Eren, his inner beast howling when he tasted his own precum in the boy's mouth. He wanted to taste the shock when he switched on the toy and wasn't disappointed. The response was electric. Levi could barely hear the thrumming buzz of the vibrator with how deeply it was buried in Eren's body, but Eren's shaking moans were enough compensation.

"Ahhhh...s-s-sir! It….ahhhhhh!"

"What's that, dear? Did you want to say something?"

Eren shuddered and his eyes rolled back in his head, but Levi wasn't done with him. He enjoyed the way Eren's cock strained and leaked but couldn't cum. He wanted this exquisitely wrecked face wrapped around him again.

"Get your shit together, Eren."

He pitched his voice low and sharp and Eren responded, nearly collapsing forward as he took Levi into his mouth again. He groaned with pleasure when he realized he could feel the vibration inside Eren's body around his cock. Eren took him in earnest, deep throating every other long languid taste. They were both moaning when Levi finally had enough. He pulled Eren off by the roots of his hair and stood them both up. Eren's legs could barely support him so Levi half carried him to the window and pressed his naked body up against the glass. He reached down and flicked the switch on the cock ring, before hooking his finger around the connecting piece of silicone and popping the vibrator out of Eren's ass. The young man squirmed, but his eyes unglazed enough to focus on Levi. 

"Sir...please, sir...will you fuck me now?"

"Oh I'm gonna fuck you, baby. I'm going to fuck you until you cry."

Eren's eyes rolled back in his head again as Levi spread his ass cheeks and plunged his cock inside, using his dripping precum as lubricant. He fucked him into the glass, uncaring if anyone in the office suites or apartments along the Intercoastal saw him take his lover apart piece by shaking piece. 

"Ahhh! Oh God!  _ Fuck Levi _ !"

"That's right, say my name, baby.  _ Jesus Christ you are so fucking tight _ . I feel like you are gonna crush my dick flat."

Eren just thrashed his head in response, gripping onto Levi's shoulders for dear life, giving over his entire body to being fucked shamelessly against an office window. Levi grit his teeth, feeling himself rapidly reaching the edge of his tolerance. He still wanted to feel Eren's sweet walls contract around his cock in shuddering bliss.

"Do you want to come for me baby?"

Eren nodded frantically.

" _ Use your _ , Hah,  _ fucking words _ , Eren."

Eren lolled his head again, tears dripping from the corners of his eyes.

" _ Please! Oh fuck, please, please, sir! Let me cum _ . I'm so good for you Levi, I'm so good. I just want you to cum inside me,  _ please _ !"

Levi could feel his balls start to draw up and stopped thrusting, just long enough to rip the cock ring off Eren's dick. The young man arched his back and tipped his mouth open in a silent scream of pleasure. His body clamped down painfully on Levi's straining erection as he pumped his cum onto Levi's dress shirt, his inner convulsions milking out the older man's orgasm. 

They froze in suspended animation as they rode out the high, both sliding to the floor in a quivering heap. Levi recovered first, slipping his softening cock out of Eren and using his now soiled Brooks Brothers shirt to wipe himself dry and contain the worst of the mess leaking out of Eren's body. He stood and returned to his desk, switching on his lamp so that the room was bright enough for him to get back to work. 

He ignored Eren as the younger man hobbled to the corner of the desk and put himself together, balling up the ruined shirt and slipping it into one of the dry cleaning bags that Levi kept in his closet. He kept several changes of clothes at the office, so finding another shirt to change into before he left the building in an hour or two wouldn't be a problem. The young man was about to make his way out of the office when Levi looked up.

"Eren."

Glazed blue eyes met cold grey. And Levi smirked.

"Sir?"

"Thank you for the tea."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren's new toy is the Ass Voyager Vibrating Cock Ring. Play responsibly😎


	3. Nouveau Trash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet Eren's best friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my Lovelies! Thank you for joining this beach party. Just a small note, I tend to keep my chapters from one character's perspective at a time, however in the event of a POV shift or time skip I use the symbol " °☆° ". <3DiLo

"Yoooo, anyone home?" 

Eren cursed as he hit his head on the roof of the shed in his back garden. He stood up and backed out gingerly, overly cautious lest he hurt himself again. He felt like he was constantly having to duck odor stop to avoid hitting his head on everything in his house. It seemed like the entire place, garden shed included, was built for midgets, which for his mother who topped out at 5'4" was perfect, but for him at just over six feet tall, was a nightmare. Eren turned around, rubbing the back of his head and frowning at his best friend, whose startling salutation had caused the bump he could feel forming under his hair. 

Armin stood behind him in the alley, grinning brightly with his hands on his hips. His golden hair was pulled back into a haphazard man-bun, exposing the ever-present rollie that was tucked precariously behind his right ear.

" _ Fuck _ that hurt. You're late, dipshit."

Armin took off his aviators and tucked them into the collar of his brown, v neck t-shirt. Eren was surprised they fit. His friend was about four inches shorter than him with zero body fat and lean, wiry muscles that he liked to define whenever possible under shirts that looked too tight to move in. Eren would have teased him more about that, but Armin still wore the same shirts that had been oversized on him before his growth spurt in middle school. Since his style choices were probably more due to a lack of wardrobe dedicated funds than anything else, he didn't rub it in.

"Sorry man, gramps needed some help getting shit out of the attic."

"Yeah, yeah."

Eren waved off his half-assed apology. Even if he was upset at Armin, he couldn't stay that way for long. The cocky, blond degenerate had been his best friend since he, Carla, and his older brother Zeke moved into the tiny, pink stucco shoebox the three of them called home. He was seven years old and freshly fatherless when his mom all-too-happily turned him loose to roam Hialeah Gardens with 'such a reputable looking kid'. Eren smirked at the memory. The joke really was on her for assuming Armin would be any kind of good influence on him. If anything, it was the other way around. Armin lived with his grandpa and was even more a beast of the wild than he was. At least Eren had Zeke to look up to. Armin was on his own until the Yeagers moved to the neighborhood. 

He and Armin graduated from playing 'maybe a gator' with the snapping turtles in Lago Grande to "borrowing" cans of spray paint from the corner bodega and tagging up playground equipment and basketball courts. They got their first tattoo together on Armin's 16th birthday (Eren was 8 months older so he had to wait), and there wasn't a dive bar or liquor store in Miami-Dade that they hadn't haunted. 

The best thing about his friendship with Armin, other than having a ride-or-die for life whom he was closer to than his own brother, was that it was he who introduced Eren to the world of surfing. His grandpa owned Surf Shack, a small business he opened in South Beach about fifty years ago and had been operating ever since. Gramps was the OG, opening his business with the money he made as a world champion surfer. He sold just about any supply a surfer, boater or fisherman could need. He couldn't really compete with the big chain stores, but with his street cred, he did decent enough business to raise his grandson after his son and his wife were killed in a car accident. It was a sad recurring cycle for the old man, but one he was unfortunately not ill prepared to deal with. His own wife had died when Armin's dad was ten, and he hadn't done too badly raising him on his own. 

Eren never blamed his friend for being a bit rough around the edges. His only female role model was Eren's mother, and since he tried his best to be home as little as possible, he assumed that link was tenuous at best. 

"What are you looking for anyway?"

Eren looked down and cursed magnificently.

" _ This _ actually, fucking  _ damn _ it."

He leaned down and swiped up the board wax that rolled innocently out of the shed. 

"Let's get the fuck out of here."

Armin had already loaded his board onto Eren's Subaru so the guys waved a quick goodbye to Eren's mom through the screened in kitchen window and hopped in the car. Jupiter was a good hour and forty five minutes up the coast, which Armin spent alternately blasting Reggaeton and regaling him with needlessly graphic tales of a (very likely mythological) roller derby Pivot named Krista who had a thing for motorcycles and blond surfers. 

They were about twenty minutes out from the beach when Armin changed the subject. 

"...as soon as I get the ol' hog tuned up, I'll let you know if I hit that. So, what about you, man? You've been awfully quiet about shit lately."

Eren rolled his eyes, internally debating how much he should tell Armin about his current conquest...or really, the conquest being made of him. Armin was pretty accepting (as a result of being raised firmly ensconced in surf culture), but he never knew how far he could push it. He didn't bat an eyelash when Eren came out, a fact that he was eternally grateful for. He wasn't the only gay kid in Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School by a long shot, and it helped that they lived in one of the gayest cities in America, but it was still  _ the South _ and kids could still be dicks. 

Armin was proud of the fact that he was solidly white trash from the back of his sunburnt neck to his motorcycle boots. He called himself ' _ Nouveau Trash _ ,' a proud gun toting redneck who stood against racism, fought for LGBTQ+ rights, and cared about the environment. Eren decided to go out on a limb. 

"So you know my boss I was telling you about?"

Eren not lifeguarding or working at Surf Shack was new for both of them. They had spent every summer since middle school stocking the Shack shelves and minding the till while gramps played Canasta for cigarettes with the owner of the Dominican chicken joint next door. Neither of them ever needed much money, so finding a better job wasn't higher on the list than fucking around. Armin always figured he would end up working at the Shack after graduation so he skated apathetically through most of high school, barely making good enough grades to pass. 

Armin hadn't even planned on going to college until gramps told him on his last birthday that he put away his parent's life insurance money to pay for his tuition. He  _ did _ want Armin to take over the Shack, but apparently he wanted Armin to do it with a business degree under his belt. 

Eren, on the other hand, always knew he was going to college, which Zeke and his mom informed him they would be paying for, but with the exception of tuition and food he was officially cut-off. Which meant if he needed gas for his car, entry fees to surfing competitions or even the  _ hope _ of ever moving out of his mom's house, he needed to make  _ bank _ . Which meant a real, non-bullshit job for peanuts.

Armin had been following his foray into corporate America with amused interest for the last few weeks.

"Oh  _ yeah _ , the dickhead? He smack the shit out of your lazy ass yet?"

Eren bit his lip, trying not to blush.

"Um...actually... _ kinda _ . Among other things…"

Armin almost choked to death on the butt of his cigarette before he recovered enough to turn his summer-sky colored eyes on his best friend.

" _ No shit dude _ ! Banging the boss-man! How the fuck did that happen? Fucking  _ epic _ ! I need details. Wait, wait, wait, isn't your boss like, the CEO of a  _ billion dollar company _ ? You've been holding out on me, man! You're buying dinner tonight…"

Eren punched his friend just a bit too hard in the shoulder to shut him up, feeling silly for ever having worried about Armin judging him. 

"It's not like that, asshole. He doesn't, like, give me gifts or take me out or anything, we just fuck around in his office…"

Armin snorted.

"You're a cheap fucking date, Yeager. Make him work for it a bit, at least.  _ Ow _ !"

Eren pulled his fist back and chewed his lip thoughtfully. 

"Heh, I probably should, but honestly the sex is so good it didn't even occur to me."

"So how did it happen?"

"I don't really know. There was all this crazy tension between us and he always works late so one night I stayed and one thing led to another..."

"But dude, isn't he, like,  _ old _ and wrinkly?  _ Does he use Viagra _ ?" 

"Oh my god, Armin, what the  _ fuck _ ? No he doesn't use  _ Viagra _ . He literally fucks me half to death and no he's not old. I mean he is  _ older _ , but his body is fucking incredible and his dick is  _ massi _ -"

"Ahhh lalala!  _ NOPE _ . I love you man, but I draw the line at talking about guy's dicks."

"Hahaha! Remember that when you wanna tell me about Miss Pivot's tits, okay?"

"Duly noted." 

Eren pulled smoothly into a parking spot a block from their usual haunt. These weekend trips to Jupiter were the highlight of his otherwise (up to this point) pretty mundane life. He and Armin would spend Saturdays at the beach and then pitch a tent and sleep on the sand (or in his car if it was raining) so they could get up at dawn to catch the best waves off the coast and surf all day Sunday. They ate street food and chilled around bonfires and talked shop with other surfers. 

Eren was having the time of his life, and his life was just fucking beginning. 


	4. Aren't You Gonna Answer That?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren has to multi-task.

The trilling ring of the phone cut across the frantic gasps and moans that were echoing within the confines of Levi's office. 

"Aren't you,  _ hah _ , gonna answer that?"

Levi enjoyed Eren's fucked out expression furrowing in confusion when he turned around from his face down position across the desk.

"Answer...the…?"

"You  _ are _ my secretary, aren't you?"

Eren moaned again but his vision cleared enough for Levi to know they were on the same page. He stretched his arm out and plucked the phone off the receiver. Levi could tell by the tightening he felt in the younger man's body that he was trying to focus. He could have made it easier by slowing his thrusts, but where was the fun in  _ that _ ? 

"Levi...A-Ackerman's office. E-Eren speaking."

Levi was pleased to note that the brat only sounded slightly more breathless than usual. 

"C-can I take a m-message, Mr. Wagner?" 

Levi perked up and pulled out so he could flip Eren onto his back and shake his head.

"L-let me see if he is available…" 

Levi gave Eren a moment to breathe as the younger man switched the call to "hold" and put the receiver down. He popped in his bluetooth and slid his cock back home in one fluid motion, causing Eren to gasp and press his hands against his mouth to stifle his cries. 

"Tom, how are you? Not too bad, not too bad. How are things up North? I'm glad you called. I pulled the numbers and this is something I want to go forward with-"

Levi paused and looked around the ruin of his desk, his eyes narrowing in irritation when he realised he couldn't put his hand on the paper he needed. Such were the pitfalls of recklessly fucking your secretary in the middle of the day. He was momentarily distracted by Eren flexing his abs and pulling himself up, so he could lean down and swipe a folder off the floor. He rested his arm around Levi's shoulder for support and handed him the exact page he had been looking for. 

Levi shook his head in wonderment and focused on the call again. 

"Ahh here it is, the most recent numbers show reader confidence is down 28%  _ What the hell kind of numbers are those _ ? We can do better and I plan to…"

The call lasted less than five minutes, and Levi didn't relent for a moment, finally adjusting Eren into the perfect angle and grinding against his prostate within moments of ending the call. Eren shuddered and came across his stomach, biting his hand to keep his voice down and Levi followed soon after, the whole phone call situation exciting him more than he would like to admit. His body pulsed and shuddered with pleasure.

He leaned against the desk as he came down from his post-orgasm high. Eren had already cleaned himself off but Levi hadn't pulled out yet, so he couldn't exactly go anywhere. Levi usually went back to work after they finished, but for some reason he couldn't quite put his finger on, (maybe Eren's antics with the folder he needed) Levi found himself more curious about his new secretary than he had been before.

He pushed back slightly, his gaze roving over the other man's body. He had seen him completely naked several times a week for almost a month now, but had he ever really  _ looked _ at the other man? He traced Eren's tattoos with his fingertips. The compass on his shoulder was a beautiful piece of work as was the deep red rose just above his V-line. It took him a minute to read the words scrawled under his collarbone that read " _ I am human _ ." He couldn't remember if he had others. Eren seemed to read his mind.

"I have an anchor on my right shoulder blade and my zodiac sign on my left ankle."

Levi nodded.

"Beautiful."

Eren grinned at the compliment and Levi's stomach dropped. He pulled out and busied himself with discarding the condom to distract himself from his unexpected reaction. The younger man sat up, resting his arm on his knee, watching Levi tuck himself back into his pants, still naked as the day he was born. 

"Thanks. Do...you...um...have any ink?" 

It was the first time Eren had ever asked him a personal question. It didn't bother him the way he thought it would. He dithered for a moment and then unbuttoned his shirt, enjoying Eren's widening eyes. He presented him with first his right bicep upon which were scrawled the words " _ Alatis Nihil Grave _ " and then his left, which was wrapped with a stylized eagle feather. 

"What does it mean?"

"Nothing is heavy to those with wings."

Eren nodded slowly, running his fingers along the ink. Levi flexed reflexively in response to his touch and just barely resisted the urge to pull Eren close. 

"I have one more, on my lower back. It's a poinsettia."

He turned around, raising his undershirt slightly so Eren could see the bright red flower ringed by deep green leaves at the base of his spine.

"The Christmas flower! Why?"

"My mother loved Christmas and I was born on December 25th."

He shrugged and pulled his dress shirt back on, but the spell hadn't broken yet. He seemed drawn back to Eren, not content until he was holding the man in his arms again. It felt  _ nice _ to hold him like this...different, but nice. His secretary had a few inches on him, but with the boy perched on the edge of his desk as he was, they were face to face. He couldn't stop looking at Eren's lips.

"We really should get back to work."

"I know."

Their lips connected and Levi felt something stir within him that had nothing to do with his cock. He spoke against the other man's lips.

"Eren…"

But just like  _ that _ the illusive feeling was gone. Levi blinked and stepped back, shaking his head.

"Sir?"

"Why...all the nautical stuff?" 

"Uh...oh...um…"

Eren hopped off the desk, getting dressed quickly now that the atmosphere had shifted. 

"No deep mystery, actually. I just love the ocean. I always have. I'd spend all my time at the beach if I could."

Levi nodded. This, unlike his unruly feelings, made perfect sense. 

"You surf, right? I've tried that once or twice. Wasn't very good at it."

Eren grinned, flashing Levi a smile that made his heart beat faster. 

"You just haven't had a good teacher, sir. You should come up the coast with me sometime."

Eren pressed his lips together and ran his fingers through his hair, looking none the worse for being fucked silly across a desk for the last half hour. They both looked at the ruins of said desk but Levi waved him off.

"I'll take care of it, you get back to work."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, Eren?"

"Sir?"

"I think I'll take you up on that sometime. Those surfing lessons."


	5. What Do I Do?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren has realized he has definitely bitten off more than he can chew.

Eren tapped out a frantic message on his phone, nearly hyperventilating in his haste to contact Armin. 

_Coconut_

_OH MY GOD._

_I THINK I JUST ASKED MY BOSS ON A DATE._

_HOLYFUCKINGSHITWHATDOIDO?_

_Wait, wut?_

_Da fuq did you do, Yeager?_

Eren slammed his phone down on his desk with more force than necessary and ran his hands through his hair. His heart was beating out of his chest and he felt like he had just snorted a line of coke. He must be going insane, because there was no way a _well_ person would have accidentally asked their _boss on a date._ He tried to pinpoint exactly when reality had bent askew, but he felt like his brain was made of mashed potatoes.

Everything had been completely normal (assuming a high school kid having an explicit affair with his middle-aged boss was normal to begin with...) Sure, it was a _little_ unusual for them to fuck in the middle of the day, but they had been having sex more frequently and recklessly of late, so it didn't really strike Eren as odd.

Their scene today was downright hot as fuck (which it always was- no difference _there._ ) Levi had sat in his chair and watched Eren finger himself open while he drank his coffee, before taking over and putting his cock in. The addition of the phone call had been exciting and different, but even _that_ could be seen as normal. It was _after_ the sex that had Eren's brain tied in fucking knots. 

Levi had looked at him with such _interest_ . Since the day they met, Levi had looked at him with desire. His cold, disinterested gaze would turn hot and lustful as he peeled Eren's clothes off and had his way with him. He _loved_ seeing that look on the older man's face. It made him feel cool and sexy...it made him feel _wanted_ . But the look he gave him _today_ was on a whole other level. Fingers that usually dug relentlessly into his flesh traced over it gently, almost reverently. The look in his eyes had been soft, almost longing.

At least...that's what Eren _thought_ he saw. What made today different from all the days that came before? Why had his boss shown such a personal interest in him after all this time? _And what the fuck had come over him in the form of offering to teach him how to surf?_

Like Levi Ackerman, zillionaire CEO of UnderGround Media, Entertainment, & Communications could learn _anything_ from an eighteen year old interim secretary who barely graduated from high school. 

_Fuck_.

Eren took a sip of the waterlogged ice coffee on his desk and nearly jumped out of his skin when a grinning brunette wearing square-framed glasses appeared in front of him out of nowhere. He shot to his feet reflexively and spilled the dregs of his coffee all over his lap and the floor. Luckily he had nearly drained the cup. 

"I-I-I-I, _oh my god_! I am SO sorry."

Eren had done a fair amount of research on the company before started his job, so he knew who the woman standing across from him was, though they had never been formally introduced.

Levi Ackerman and his roommate Erwin Smith founded UnderGround Entertainment in their senior year at Dartmouth. They started out small, with a ten person team of programmers and engineers. Erwin was the programmer and Levi was the one with the vision. He took his friend's hobby and turned it into a business. They developed multiplayer games, which in itself wasn't all that groundbreaking; the real key to their success was developing a platform with a user friendly interface for their gamers to interact across.

Their users enjoyed the experience so much that eventually they used the same principles and expanded into file and data sharing, music streaming, and newsmedia. A timely partnership with a certain Video Streaming service catapulted the newly influential U.MEC into the big leagues.

Levi had been CEO of U.MEC since its inception with Erwin taking on the role as COO. Moblit Berner, one of their gaming engineers took the position as CFO when the company got big enough for them to consolidate responsibilities. Zoe Hanji, the woman currently looking at Eren as though he had gone completely insane, was an old friend of Erwin's and had been working as the Vice President in charge of Research and Development since the company moved from New Hampshire to Florida.

He hadn't met her in person yet, but her reputation around the office preceded her. She smiled at him, her grin infectious.

"You must be _Carla from H.R._ 's son! I heard there was new blood up here."

"Uh...y-yes, that's right. Eren Yeager, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Same. You look like your mom. Different eyes though. I wonder how that happens? Well I mean I _know_ how that happens, but just, really you have such an unusual eye color…"

Eren squirmed awkwardly and bent down to clean up the coffee spill while the woman rattled on.

"...so I hear you just graduated from HML? _Go Trojans_! Is Mr. Hannes still teaching Economics? He was always going on about how society was on the verge of collapse-"

Eren perked up with interest.

"Wait, you went to HML? That's crazy! Yeah Hannes is still there. He's a department head now. He doesn't really rant though, I'm pretty sure he's an alcoholic."

Hanji smiled at him conspiratorially and the two of them shared a laugh. Eren was quickly getting the impression that none of U.MEC's employees judged their superiors very fairly. Hanji was quirky, but the talk around the office had painted her as loud, annoying, and batshit insane. Eren liked her instantly. 

"So is the boss man here?"

"Uh, right...let me see if he's taking meetings."

Eren sat down, coloring slightly at the fact that he had basically forgotten he was Levi's secretary for a moment. Obviously Ms. Hanji didn't come all the way up here to chat with him. He put on his bluetooth smartly and buzzed Levi.

"Sir, Ms. Hanji is here to see you."

Levi crackled with discontent and Eren had to suppress a smile.

"What does that fucking four-eyes want now? I was having a relatively non shitty day."

"Should I-"

"No, no it's fine, send her in."

Eren ended the call and rose to his feet so he could open the door like a gentleman.

"So, what did he call me? I can usually judge his mood by the first insult…"

Eren nearly choked trying to suppress his reaction. He considered lying but had a feeling she would see right through him.

"Uhm...fucking four eyes."

Hanji trilled a loud laugh. 

"You must be doing _something_ right if he's in _that_ good a mood at three o'clock on a Thursday."

Eren had no response for that so he stayed silent, since if anyone found out about that _something_ he would likely end up royally fucked...and not in a good way.

He hid behind his smile and waved her into the office.

"Nice talking to you, kid!"


	6. Clapping Coconuts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we meet Levi's best friend and her brilliant euphemisms.

Zoe bounced into Levi's office, narrowing her eyes in concentration as she took in the scene. Levi was immaculate (of course) and his desk was immaculate (even more of course), but something was still... _ off _ . He did his best to ignore her as she rounded his desk, plopped down her laptop and posed directly in front of him. He sat back and folded his hands, not nearly as irritated as he should have been by her intrusion. 

"Some of us actually have work to do today, four-eyes."

"We do, don't we…"

Levi gestured meaningfully toward her laptop but she ignored him.

"Yeah, yeah, we'll get to that…"

Hanji pressed her lips together, frowning. She didn't think she was wrong,  _ but _ …

Her eyes brightened maniacally as she leaned forward and sniffed Levi's shoulder, squealing in triumph when he shoved her back and got up to pace as far away from her as he possibly could.

"I  _ knew _ it!"

"What the  _ actual _ fuck Hanji! Have you  _ completely _ lost your mind?"

Hanji shook her head slowly, her triumph melting into concern. 

"No...but  _ you _ might have."

"I have no idea what you're talking about…"

Hanji crossed her arms in challenge.

"Either you've started styling your hair with Wave Zone Speed Wax, or you've been  _ clapping coconuts _ with juice and cookies out there." 

Levi looked like he was about to murder her, but he didn't protest.

"That is  _ revolting _ . Where do you even come up with these things…?"

Hanji's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

" _ That wasn't a denial Levi. _ "

He sniffed at her in disdain.

"Would denying it honestly make any difference?"

"I suppose  _ not _ …"

"Might I remind your sassy ass that I'm your boss, shitty glasses?"

Hanji sobered fully for the first time in the conversation. 

"You're  _ his _ boss too, Levi."

"I  _ know _ , all right!" 

"I see."

"Do you? Because  _ I don't _ !"

Hanji shrugged.

"You like him."

° ☆ °

Levi turned toward the window, unable to look into Hanji's all-too-knowing expression for another minute. He knew that she was freakishly observant and he didn't have to worry about other people catching on as quickly as she did, but he was still rattled. He also wasn't quite sure when banging his submissive secretary had turned into sex with  _ feelings _ .  _ Do _ I like him? His mind ran back over their still-wet -on-his-dick encounter, and his stomach dropped at an even more alarming thought. Does  _ he _ like  _ me _ ? 

"Fuck." 

Hanji waited patiently as he returned to his desk. She sat down across from him as he settled. Levi steepled his fingers. He could have just denied everything, but since Hanji seemed determined to be all up in his business, he may as well take advantage of having someone to talk to. He was a practical man.

"I don't know if I like him. It's just sex...really  _ great _ fucking sex...the kid pushes all my buttons…"

Hanji frowned for a moment.

"Levi, just one thing though...and I'm sorry in advance but...this  _ is _ consensual, right?"

He considered taking offense to that but had to admit she wasn't wrong for asking. Although, if it wasn't consensual wouldn't he just lie?

"It is absolutely, 100% consensual, Zoe. Believe me, he wants it…"

His voice trailed off, Eren's crying, begging voice ringing in his ears. He couldn't remember ever sleeping with someone who wanted it  _ more _ . If he really thought about it, Eren was everything he'd ever wanted in a lover. He was sweet, soft, and energetic. Submissive and kinky as fuck. He had an amazing body but enough shyness to keep him from getting too arrogant.

Even their age difference was a factor in the attraction- Levi was the first to admit that he had a superiority complex, which is something that previous partners (what he called the people he slept with more than once) eventually came to resent about him. The gap between him and Eren was so wide, it rendered any sort of power struggle moot. Eren knew his place. 

Hanji nodded sagely. 

"Well, okay then. How long have you been seeing him? What's he like when he  _ isn't _ playing secretary?"

Levi winced, not liking one bit that he probably looked sheepish...as sheepish as a wolf could look. 

"I wouldn't know. We've pretty much been fucking since he started here...but we haven't seen each other outside the office…"

Hanji leaned forward in her chair and put her hands on her hips looking outraged. 

"Levi! That is  _ no way  _ to treat your lover!"

"He's not my lover!"

"Isn't he?"

"No, maybe, _ I don't know, _ all right? What am I supposed to do? Take him out for fucking milkshakes? He's half my age."

"Less than half your age."

Levi threw her his blackest glare.

"I don't really  _ do _ relationships, Zoe, even if he was a more...socially acceptable person for me to date, I don't even know what we would do."

"You own a gaming company, Levi. He's your target audience!"

Levi's face could have been carved from stone. He didn't play their games and she knew it.

Hanji rolled her eyes and gave him a smirk that worried him. She leaned back and cracked her knuckles. 

"Okay then, what have you done in previous relationships?"

"I told you I don't... _ ugh _ I don't know! Dinner? Clubbing? Fucking…"

Hanji took a deep breath, and muttered something he was absolutely positive was personally insulting.

"You might be beyond my help, boss, but I would say the next  _ baby _ step for you might be fucking Eren somewhere that is  _ not _ your workplace. If you really wanted to get advanced you could actually try spending time with him without  _ bobbing for apples _ ."

Hanji laughed at her own wordplay and Levi looked at his colleague, once again absolutely baffled by her slang. 

"I'm going to start demanding logs of  _ exactly _ what kind of research you're conducting down on 17, Hanji."

She laughed loudly and shook her head. It was the perfect segue they needed to actually get to the intended purpose of their meeting. She flipped open her laptop and excitedly launched into her department's latest findings.

Levi listened with half an ear as he turned their conversation over in his mind. As unlikely as it may seem, the idea of fucking Eren outside of work...at home for example...did hold a certain  _ appeal _ . Just spending time with him didn't seem half bad either. He wondered what the kid was like when he wasn't a blushing, fumbling, walking felony in a suit. Eren had mentioned going surfing and while Levi had little interest in the beach, seeing  _ that _ body in a wetsuit might be well worth being near  _ sand _ . 


	7. The Best Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi doesn't regret playing in the sand nearly as much as he thought he would.

Eren paced the interior of the Surf Shack like a caged animal, alternating between ripping his hair out and biting his nails down to stubs. Armin lounged behind the cash register hand rolling cigarettes and watching him with amusement.

"Dude! Just go for a quick smoke in the alley and calm the  _ fuck _ down. I've put an extra little something in this batch that'll do the trick. You're starting to make  _ me _ nervous and I don't  _ do _ nervous. Besides, do you think boss man is really gonna want you bald?"

Eren turned to him, wild-eyed. 

"Oh my god,  _ I don't even know if he smokes _ ! And what if he doesn't even  _ show _ , he probably won't show... but...what if he  _ does _ show."

Eren went back to pacing and Armin rolled his eyes. The last time he had seen his friend  _ this  _ neurotic they had been tripping out on shrooms, and he was reasonably certain Eren gave up drugs after that experience.

" _ You _ don't even smoke so who cares? And if he  _ doesn't _ show you have  _ nothing to worry about. _ "

Eren started talking to himself again so Armin heaved himself restlessly off his chair, gripped his best friend by the shoulders and pulled him down to eye level.

"Eren. Seriously dude,  _ chill _ . I don't even know why you're  _ this _ nervous. You said it's not even a real date, right? Unless you're just freaking out about me meeting your old, wrinkly,  _ busted-ass _ boss and confirming your taste  _ ain't shit-" _

"Hrm. Am I interrupting something here?"

Armin felt Eren's entire body tense under his hands as the deep, velvet smooth voice of Levi Ackerman filled the space between them. The young men both turned slowly and Armin's eyebrows melded with his hairline as he took in Eren's  _ not even remotely _ wrinkly, or  _ slightly _ busted-ass boss. He slapped his best friend on the shoulder apologetically.

"Okay. I get it."

Levi stood in the open doorway to the Shack, leaning casually against the door frame, his hip cocked to the side and his arms crossed over his chest. Contrary to Armin's mental image, this man was no middle-aged desk jockey with a spare tire and receding hairline. The bulging muscles of his chest and arms strained the fabric of his thin black t-shirt and the waistband of his tan cargo shorts fell flat against his lean hips. His head was bent forward slightly, so his nearly luminescent black fringe fell across his forehead as he peered at the two of them over his Ray-Bans. 

The three of them stared at each other for a beat of silence before Eren recovered. 

"S-sir! Mr. Ackerman, I mean-"

"Just Levi is fine, brat, we're not at work."

"Uh, right. I'm glad you found the place, it's kind of out of the way…"

Levi pulled off his sunglasses and rolled his eyes. 

"I have  _ Waze _ , Eren, for fuck's sake. I also live about half an hour from here."

Armin couldn't help but laugh. He knew Eren would have his ass later but he couldn't help it. He liked Levi already. He stepped forward and stuck his hand out before Eren could say something even more embarrassing.

"Armin Arlert. Nice to meet you."

Levi shook his hand firmly.

"Levi Ackerman. So this is where you turn me into a surfer?"

Armin grinned widely.

"Well I can make you  _ look _ like one, but that pleasure belongs to this guy over here. Don't worry, you're in good hands." 

Levi angled a gaze toward Eren that seemed to rake him from head to toe. 

"Am I?"

"Ahh, yeah, I taught him everything he knows."

Levi chuckled, a low gravelly sound that made Eren visibly squirm. Armin could hardly believe what he was seeing. His best friend was by far the most fearless and confident person he knew (aside from himself, of course) but this guy had him whipped before he even walked in the room. Eren hadn't had many boyfriends, but those he  _ did _ have tended to hang around the Shack and he had never seen his friend act like this with any of them. 

"Now I'll know who to blame when I look like a noob out there."

Armin laughed lightly jostling Eren again to wake him up from whatever seemed to have frozen him in place. He couldn't personally imagine Levi looking like a noob doing anything but he supposed anything was possible. 

" _ Eren _ why don't you and Levi get suited up?"

His best friend blinked his wide turquoise eyes at him and nodded.

"Right! Good idea. We don't need the waves undressing you out there."

Eren cringed at his own inability to converse normally but Levi didn't seem to notice. He followed them to the clothing racks where Eren carded through the rash guards trying to find an appropriate outfit.

He turned abruptly and looked at Levi through his lashes.

"Um...what size do you think, uh…"

He slid his hand along Levi's shoulder and popped the tag out of his t-shirt to check the size. Armin's nostrils flared at the intimacy of the gesture and had to fight not to roll his eyes. With the muscles this guy was sporting there was no way he wasn't a 'Large' but he couldn't exactly blame Eren for putting his hands on the other man. He wasn't even gay and he wanted to touch him…

"Ahh, I'm gonna go grab a board, Eren. The foam Surftech, I think."

Armin turned his back on the most awkwardly starting (definitely a) date in human history before he could too heavily reevaluate his sexuality. He went to the stockroom to pull the board their guest would need and sighed.

Eren was  _ fucked _ . 

° ☆ °

Levi gritted his teeth as sand squished between his toes. He fucking  _ hated _ sand. But he wasn't wrong that it would be  _ entirely _ worth it to see Eren in a wetsuit. Even if it wasn't exactly a wetsuit, the skin tight black shorts and aqua colored rash guard hid exactly non of the younger man's smooth perfection. His outfit didn't leave much to the imagination either; it was so fucking tight at first he felt like they were indulging in bondage play, but he couldn't deny he quite enjoyed the frequent thirsty looks he gleaned from his surfing instructor. 

"Okay, is there anything you want to go over again before we get out there?"

Levi tried to focus his mind, but the struggle was real with Eren looking all wet and windblown. He wasn't too worried about the actual surfing, he was an experienced rock climber and a strong swimmer so he didn't doubt his body's athleticism. What  _ did _ concern him was the very likely outcome that he would make a complete fool of himself.

Fortunately for his peace of mind, Eren surprised him by skillfully dumbing down his obviously extensive knowledge of the sport to terms a true beginner would understand. His explanations and instructions were given in such a way that he didn't make Levi feel stupid for asking questions. He was patient and appeared genuinely pleased that Levi was putting in effort to do something he loved. 

The weather was brilliant in South Beach and they hit the waves, fucking around in the surf before heading out deeper and trying to catch an actual wave. Levi fell more than he didn't, but it wasn't as bad as he thought it was going to be. It had been a good number of  _ years  _ since he had stepped foot on the beach...but maybe he would have to rethink his avoidance. He was actually having  _ fun. _

He enjoyed experiencing the waves for himself, but the best part of the day,  _ by far _ , was watching Eren surf. He stood out among the other surfers like a rose among thorns. The way he moved was so fluid and graceful, it almost seemed like his board was a part of his body. His concentration and control were absolute when he was in the water and his focused expression did funny things to Levi's stomach. 

The waves were clearly no match for a person with his level of experience so after they mutually agreed that lesson time was done, they went closer in to the beach and Eren showed off a bit, doing tricks that involved skimming his board rapidly along the breakers before he got tossed off laughing and sputtering into the foam. 

They collapsed exhausted and laughing on the sand, their boards beside them. 

"So what do you think? Are you hooked now? Have I created a monster?"

Levi looked from the water to the man sitting beside him, his laughing eyes more beautiful than any view. 

"It was great. I am  _ definitely _ hooked. But I don't know about surfing."

From the looks of Eren's blush, he caught on to Levi's meaning. 

"What...what didn't you like about it?"

"Well just one thing, really…"

He lifted his hand slowly as tension stretched between them and ran his thumb down the side of Eren's face, brushing away some sand that was stuck to his tanned skin.

"The sand gets everywhere."

And  _ really _ , how long was he supposed to go without kissing this boy?

The kiss tasted like sunscreen, saltwater, and that indefinable  _ something _ that was all Eren. Their lips were chapped and rough from a day in the waves but the kiss was sweet and deep and if they had been anywhere but South Beach, probably a little too R-rated for a public place. Eren moaned just a tiny bit before pulling back.

"Let's get back to the shop."

It was a short walk to the Shack from the beach and by the time they arrived Levi was ready to die from the chafing. Eren surprised him by pulling him through the alley to the back of the shop instead of going through the front. 

"Gramps put an outdoor shower back here for us when he realized we were gonna use the place as home base."

Levi looked at him curiously.

"Gramps?"

Eren led Levi into the well built wooden structure that abutted the delivery entrance and started peeling off his clothes.

"Armin's grandpa. He owns the Shack. He's gonna leave it to Armin eventually. I forgot you didn't meet him. He lets Armin run the place in the summer."

Levi nodded, his interest in the current topic abating when Eren stepped under the stream of water and used the moisture to loosen the death grip of his shorts. The outdoor shower didn't exactly count as private, but they weren't in public either and had 3 walls and a slide locked door protecting them from public indecency. Levi decided to try his luck.

He stepped close, enjoying Eren's gasp as he slid his hands down under the waistband of the offending shorts.

"Do you need some help with that? I definitely need some help with mine."

Eren whined breathlessly and practically ripped the shirt off Levi's body. It didn’t give him up easily, making the boy work for it. He could feel the scrape of the sand between their bodies, but he couldn’t  _ not _ press Eren, squirming and moaning, against the wooden slats. He buried his head in Eren’s neck and sucked on his collarbone.

“For the love of  _ all _ that is holy tell me I get to fuck you right now.” 

Eren’s fingers wove through his hair, tugging at the sun-warmed strands.

“ _ Please _ .”

One word. One simple word was all it took to ignite the low banked tension that had threaded through their entire day. It erupted into a raging fire that completely engulfed them. Eren melted and ground against him as they kissed, devouring each other ravenously. His tight shorts were starting to become painful and he couldn't imagine Eren’s were too comfortable either so he backed off from his assault long enough for them to both strip completely naked. Levi grabbed the dubious looking bar of soap from the small rickety shelf and lathered off the top layer while Eren clutched at his shoulders.

“We don’t have long...Armin knows we’re back here…”

“Your friend is a worldy looking guy, he’s not gonna come looking…but if he does, i’m just cleaning your hard to reach places…”

“Nnngh, Levi!”

Levi slid his lathered hands down Eren’s body, liberally coating the other man’s dick and balls before massaging his perineum and teasing his puckered hole. 

“You were  _ so sexy  _ out there, baby. Long and lean in your  _ tight _ , wet clothes and all fluid grace and confidence. You have no idea how much of a turn-on it is to see you like that...I’ve wanted to be inside you since the moment I saw you…”

Levi whispered a constant stream of filth as he worked Eren open and wiggled a finger inside him, all the while grinding his soapy cock against the younger man’s washboard abs. He fastened his mouth securely over Eren’s lips and swallowed his delicious moans when he finally thrust his cock into that tight, welcoming slickness. His tired muscles screamed in protest when he rucked Eren’s legs around his waist and supported his body so he could fuck him into the wall. 

He couldn’t sustain the position for long, but both of them were so frantic with lust, he didn’t have to. They came in tandem in a cascading rush of shuddering pleasure. Levi was buried so deeply inside Eren’s body that he didn’t know where his orgasm ended and the other’s began. It was white, hot pleasure from beginning to end and left them both shaking and gasping for air.

Levi set Eren carefully on his feet and lathered the soap in his hands again, cleaning the other man in earnest this time before cleansing himself, mentally promising himself a real shower at home to assuage his raging OCD. When he could no longer feel the gritty pull of sand against either of their bodies, he switched off the water. 

Eren was hovering by the door with glazed eyes and a goofy smile playing on his lips. They were both too physically exhausted for it to turn into anything else, but Levi couldn’t resist laying a soft kiss on his pouty lips. He gestured to their dripping wet, naked bodies.

“Now what?” 

Eren seemed to wake up with an adorable blink. 

“The towels are on the rack right outside and I stashed our clothes in the office, I’ll go grab them.”

Levi used the three minutes Eren was gone to dry himself. It took them another five minutes to get dressed. Eren had a firm hold on his hand when they ventured into the Shack and came face to face with Armin. He gave their hands a meaningful look and raised an eyebrow. It didn’t even occur to Levi to pull away.

“So, good day?”

Eren smiled, looking more relaxed than Levi had ever seen him.

“The best.”

“Any decent waves out there?”

Eren shrugged. 

“It was good for what we needed. My student’s gonna be a pro in no time at all.”

Armin turned to Levi.

“What did I tell ya about this guy?”

Levi squeezed Eren’s hand.

“When you’re right, you’re right.”

Armin nodded.

“I’m guessing you’re not gonna hang out and close with me, E?”

Eren looked guilty but Levi swooped in to take the heat off him.

“Actually I was hoping I could take this guy to dinner. What do I owe you for the board, man?”

Armin was already shaking his head as Levi went for his wallet. 

“Nah man it's cool, it's a loaner. I wouldn’t feel right charging you for that. On the house. Your money’s no good here.”

Levi rolled his eyes and slid a wad of cash out of his wallet and placed it down on the counter.

“My money’s good everywhere, kid. Thanks again.”

Levi took Eren to a small Greek restaurant on Collins Avenue and they laughed and talked until the street lamps flickered to life. When they kissed goodnight, pressed up against the side of Levi’s black Audi, Eren looked into his eyes and blushed like a virgin.

“Today was the best day.”

Levi couldn’t agree more. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just gonna lay here and squee myself to death. I fucking love these two. Their adorableness is as relentless as sand in an asscrack... unless Levi is around to take care of that 😳.  
> Ugh, writing this brought me so much joy. Onward my Lovelies!  
> ♡DiLo


	8. Of Tigers and Teases

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren shows himself to be terribly disloyal...and Armin is entirely cool with it.

Night turned to day and day to night and the hot Miami summer wore on in the air conditioned offices and sweltering streets. Eren and Levi hadn't gone surfing again in the last two weeks but, in addition to their usual daily activities, they _had_ gotten dinner together on more than one occasion. It was a heady thing, stepping out with Levi in the evening rush when the streets were teeming with energy and life. Levi knew interesting things about a wide array of topics and would tell him stories about Dartmouth and what it was like living with Erwin when they were Freshmen. Those nights ended with sex back at the office that was always a little bit more intimate than the time before. Once, they met up for drinks in South Beach on Saturday night and ended up fucking in the Surf Shack's stock room before heading home in opposite directions. 

Eren had the feeling that Levi, like himself, was hesitant to discuss what was going on because they were both enjoying it too much to spoil it with unnecessary conversation. In Eren's opinion, not declaring that they were in a relationship didn't make it any less of a relationship. The fact that they were not sleeping with other people came up early on in the summer. Eren wasn't particularly reckless, but he wasn't a huge fan of condoms. Levi wouldn't 'unwrap' (even for blowjobs) until they were both tested. They were already trusting each other with their health; a deeper commitment wouldn't be that far out of left field.

He wouldn't be surprised if Levi didn't actually know what he wanted out of their liaison. Eren himself had no idea what he wanted, other than what they already had…and he certainly didn't want it to stop. 

One interesting development that caused Eren no end of amusement was that Levi had taken to sending him, more often than not _dirty_ , text messages. He would message him randomly throughout the workday, even when Eren knew for a fact he was sitting in important meetings. His texts were either gratuitously sexual or witty and sarcastic and often left Eren in stitches. 

He hated to admit it, but he was falling for Levi hard and fast. The sex alone had been enough to get him hooked without the million other things that made Levi attractive. He was smart, funny, and confident...always completely in control of his environment. In his business dealings he was cunning and ruthless, an intimidating force of nature that both motivated and influenced his peers. He could order wine _in French_ without sounding like a tool and when he and Eren were together he looked at him the way no one else had ever looked at him in his life. 

More than anything, being with Levi made Eren feel... _safe_ . He hadn't felt that way since before his father left. Eren always thought he had a problem with authority, but experience was showing him that his issue was with following the dictates of authority figures he had no reason to _respect_ . His father, the person who was _supposed_ to keep him safe, was like two different people mashed into one; either cruel and petty when he'd been drinking or charismatic and focused when he was sober. As an adult Eren was able to look back and see that his family was better off without him, but his child-heart still yearned for that role to be filled and blamed his mother and Zeke for making his father leave. He'd spent half his life wishing the man would "get better' and come back. Now, he couldn't remember the last time he thought about him at all. 

Armin's grandpa was a good role model as an individual, but he was indulgent, soft-hearted, and benignly neglectful. He grew up in a time when society didn't frown on 'boys being boys' and outrunning the cops was something to be proud of. As long as Armin didn't fail out of school, do hard drugs, or end up in prison, he (and by extension, Eren) could pretty much do whatever he wanted. 

Growing up left to his own devices taught him how to handle freedom with a certain degree of confidence and maturity, but he thirsted for structure and direction that his current life didn't provide. His family's expectations for him were nebulous and low... _just stay out of juvie_ , _just graduate from high school_. He was surprised that his mom went out on a limb to get him the secretary gig, knowing it would be so far outside the realm of anything he had done before. 

Levi was the first person in his life who took one look at him and expected, no _demanded_ , more. Working for Levi stretched him to define the edges of his intelligence and creativity. Sleeping with Levi pushed his boundaries to their limit and led him to discover things about himself and his body that he never would have known. Everything about being with him made Eren feel _alive_ . For the first time he felt like he had potential. If a person like _Levi_ wanted him, spent time and effort getting to know him, it meant _he_ was a person of value. 

But Levi wasn't all strict dominance and unrelenting expectations. He showed Eren a softer side of himself that was irresistible and addictive. He was willing to go out on a limb and experience new things (like surfing) for the sake of someone else and he didn't seem to have a selfish bone in his body. He dedicated a great deal of U.MEC's funds to philanthropic endeavors. Individually he supported slightly more politically charged concerns involving HIV/AIDS education, Women's rights, and LGBTQ Youth. 

Eren tried not to think about the fact that Levi had a personal net-worth somewhere in the millions, because he would have been perfect without that. His wealth didn't seem to come up too often and he wasn't pretentious about money. Armin had called him in abject shock after their surfing date to tell him that Levi left _six hundred dollars_ on the counter at the Shack. Levi had neither batted an eye over such an exorbitant amount of money nor once mentioned it to Eren.

In that vein, he always paid for Eren whenever they went anywhere together. He had expressed discomfort at first, but Levi pointed out that since he literally paid the other man's salary it was silly for them to just pass his paycheck back and forth. Eren didn't question these dubious economics because his broke-ass appreciated the gesture.

Eren's phone buzzed on his nightstand and he reached for it without thinking. It felt strange to be lounging around at home at six o' clock on a Friday. Eren had been 'working late' for so much of the summer he wasn't usually home before dark.

**_Boss Man_ **

**_GET YOUR ASS IN HERE WITH_ **

**_MY EVENING TEA, YOU SLACKER._ **

**_Ugh I know! I'm so sorry, I wish I could :(_ **

**_Tell me again why I am going snack-less_ **

**_tonight...someone better have died..._ **

**_Nothing so dramatic. My mom_ **

**_insisted. We do these Friday night dinners_ **

**_but i've been missing them for *work* ;)_ **

**_We?_ **

**_Me, my mom, and my older brother Zeke. He's_ **

**_26 but he still lives at home, which is ironic_ **

**_because he works in real-estate *eyeroll*_ **

**_but I think he just worries about us._ **

**_He kinda raised me. *shrugs*_ **

**_Hmm._ **

****

Eren rolled over on his stomach smiling like an idiot at his cellphone screen. He loved texting with Levi like this, first because he missed him, but also because he genuinely never had any idea what the man was going to say.

_**Boss Man** _

_**I want to see you. And by you, I mean the** _

_**face you make when I cum down your throat.** _

_**Christ...** _

_**Don't tell me I have to wait until Monday.** _

_**...Saturday?** _

_**Uhhhhh, I can't. Shit! I was gonna** _

_**say yes but I'm going up the coast with** _

_**Armin this weekend. We have a surf thing.** _

_**...not avoiding me are you, brat?** _

_**No!** _

_**I am *not* avoiding you.** _

_**We are going to Cocoa Beach for a competition.** _

_**I thought it was next week but it actually starts** _

_**tomorrow.** _

_**Want some company?** _

_**I'm making the trip with Ar-** _

_**...oh...** _

_**FUCK YES PLEASE** _

_**B) What about Armin?** _

Eren was sitting up now, flushed, his hands nearly shaking with excitement. Levi wanted to spend the _whole weekend together?_

_**Boss Man** _

_**He can drive his motorcycle. He'll be** _

_**thrilled. I actually don't care.** _

_**Tch. Such disloyalty.** _

_**:p only for you.** _

_**We were gonna leave pretty early in the** _

_**morning.** _

_**How early is early?** _

_**6am :D** _

_**I'll text you my address and the gate code.** _

_**Shit...my mom's calling me for dinner...** _

_**I have to go.** _

_**I have a thing too...so this is it until tomorrow...** _

_**can I get a little something to hold me over?** _

_**...** _

_"_ I'll be out in a minute, mom!"

Eren bit his lip, forcing himself to calm down. He was still dressed in his work clothes but he had taken off his tie. He snatched it up slipped it over his hand, grateful that in his laziness he hadn't fully undone the knot (something that Zeke frequently chided him for, ' _because it creases the silk'_ ). He snapped the selfie and sent it off, trying not to feel too self conscious about it. Levi responded after a moment with a simple " _fuck."_ He chewed on his lip again before sending the next message, but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

_**Gonna leave me hanging?** _

Eren paused nervously, perched on the edge of his bed. He had no idea where Levi was or if he was in a place where he could take a selfie, but it was worth a shot. What made it even worse were the delicious smells of fried plantains and arroz con pollo that were wafting through the house. Even before Eren's family moved to a predominantly Cuban neighborhood, he had loved Hispanic food. His mom, a native Floridian before him, wasn't too shabby at pulling together traditional dishes. He almost lost hope and got up to go out to dinner when his phone dinged. It took him a full minute to assimilate the image that came through. Heat burned his cheeks and he felt his body go tight in several not-family-dinner oriented places. It was a shot of Levi's sculpted upper body, from his shoulder to his hip, straining against the wet fabric of a white t-shirt. Eren stowed his phone, trying not to think about the fact that Levi had either gone into the shower with his t-shirt on or soaked it and then put it back on for the sake of that selfie. Either way it made his night.

_**I'm dead. You actually fucking killed me.** _

_**Why are you even...how did you even?** _

_**There are no words.** _

_**See you tomorrow, brat.** _

He walked into the dining room with a goofy smile on his face and sat down, whipping his phone out one more time when he realized he had to let Armin know the change in plans.

_**Coconut** _

_**Remember in 7th grade when we got** _

_**busted for breaking that window and** _

_**I took the fall because one more strike** _

_**would have sent you to juvie?** _

_**...yea...?** _

_**You know how you said you OWED me** _

_**one?** _

_**Who did you kill and where's the body?** _

_**Wait! Don't tell me who...just where...** _

_**Shut up dude, there's no body...not** _

_**after what I did to it...nah j/k j/k...it's** _

_**about this weekend.** _

_**Eren...** _

_**Could you maybe, possibly, just a little bit...** _

_**take your bike to Cocoa?** _

_**:) :) :) :)** _

_**...** _

_**I'll take all the gear. Everything else.** _

_**I just...um...Levi wants to come and...** _

_**I want a Manor House.** _

_**What?** _

_**And a pet tiger.** _

_**What the fuck?** _

_**When you marry the boss man and** _

_**become the *billionaire's bride* I get** _

_**a pet tiger or you will never fucking hear** _

_**the end of it.** _

_**YOU ARE MY BEST FRIEND. I WILL** _

_**MAKE IT MY MISSION IN LIFE TO PROVIDE  
YOU WITH A GIANT STRIPED PUSSY.** _

_**That's...that's not...** _

_**I hate you.** _

_**YOU LOVE ME.** _

"Eren."

" _Eren_ mom's talking to you."

Eren tore his eyes away from his phone to see Zeke and his mom gaping at him.  
He widened his eyes at them.

"And?"

Zeke looked irritated but Carla just smiled.

"I just wanted to know what was so entertaining, darling. You seem to be so busy these days I have no idea what's going on in your life."

He slipped his phone in his pocket feeling a tiny stab of guilt that he couldn't tell his mom about what he had _'going on.'_ Things with Levi were far too tenuous to talk about just yet, without even considering the fact that what they were doing was probably against company policy and his mom was i _n charge_ of U.MEC's Human Resources department. He didn't usually hide things from his mom, but he'd never really had anything to hide before. He decided he would tell them as much as he could and let the chips fall where they may.

"I'm really just focusing on work right now and the competition this weekend..."

Zeke rolled his eyes so Eren swerved.

"...and there is someone I like, actually."

His mom's expression brightened.

"But I'm guessing that's all we're gonna hear about him, huh?"

Eren smiled and popped his 'p.'

"Yep."

Zeke leaned forward to scoop some chicken onto his plate,

"So you're seeing what it's actually like to work for a living, huh kid..."

Eren nodded along and did the best he could to tune out the rest of the conversation without looking too obvious. He glanced at the clock on the wall over his mom's head. Less than twelve hours from now he would be seeing Levi again, just the two of them, hours from home. At this time tomorrow they could be doing _god-knows-what_. Eren couldn't even imagine what to expect, but he could try.

Oh, he could try.


	9. His Own Personal Sunrise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn Levi is an accidental romantic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starting in this chapter and peppered throughout the story from this point, several of the characters speak Spanish. Please see end notes for translation. Thanks!
> 
> <3DiLo

Eren yawned hugely and stamped his feet to keep himself warm in the predawn coolness as he hopped into his car on Saturday morning, wishing his mom had a fancy coffee machine at home similar to the one they had at the office. It took him just under 45 minutes to get to Key Biscayne from his house.

He had expected to be impressed by Levi's home based on the address (any neighborhood that you couldn't get to without paying a literal toll was bound to be fancy) but nothing could have prepared him for the drug-lord style compound he drove into when the metal bars of the entry gate slid into the unassuming hedges on either side of the driveway. 

Eren had never felt more self-conscious of himself or his beloved Subaru than the moment he pulled up to Levi's house. The man in question was waiting for him at the top of the entry stairs and ushered him through the cavernous glass and stone structure until he was standing in the center of a curved glass two story window overlooking a private dock and the great blue expanse of the ocean beyond. 

Eren was so overwhelmed he could do nothing but stare as he felt Levi's arms wrap around him from behind.

"You're just in time."

"For what?"

"Sunrise."

Eren gasped in wonder as rays of pink and orange shot from the horizon and ignited the predawn clouds over the ocean in a blaze of glory. He was no stranger to early mornings, but surfers usually faced the beach, not the horizon. Eren couldn't remember the last time he just stood and watched the sunrise. Or the last time someone watched it with him. He felt Levi's body press against him and the older man's breath on his neck, but it wasn't sexual. It felt _right_. Eren's self-consciousness melted away and he immersed himself in the moment. Whether they were standing in a twenty-million dollar ocean-front estate or barefoot on the sand of South Pointe Beach, it didn't matter. Nothing apart from the two of them was required for this moment. 

A nameless _something_ burned at the back of Eren's throat and melted his insides. He felt the strength and stability of Levi's arms sink through his flesh and bone, to the very core of his existence. If he could keep this man, he would be a person who would always care for him and keep him safe. He would shine into Eren's life like the breaking dawn, chasing back the shadows and the darkness of fear and uncertainty. People always thought of Eren as carefree and easygoing - things it was easy to be when you had nothing- no direction, no future, no prospects. This summer, this man had changed all of that. Eren felt like he could feel himself growing up, and it couldn't happen fast enough, if he could ever hope to keep up with his lover.

"Thank you."

Levi separated from his body and slanted his head to the side, smirking.

"For what?"

Eren gestured wordlessly toward the brightening sky.

"I hate to point out my own shortcomings, brat, but I had just as much to do with that as you did."

And since Eren had exactly no way to explain to Levi that he was his own personal sunrise, he simply shrugged. 

"We should get on the road."

Levi looked at him for another moment and then nodded. Eren thought he was going to say something but he just turned and led the way back to the door. Eren had been ushered through the house too quickly to notice before, but the place was even more magnificent than it was at first glance, especially now that morning light streamed in through the windows. Levi picked up a leather travel bag that was on the floor in the entryway when a voice interrupted the silence. 

"Mr. Levi! Your tea, sir." 

Eren turned in mild surprise to see a short, heavily accented, pleasant looking woman in a domestic uniform hand Levi two Venti-sized to go cups.

"Thank you, Carmen."

She nodded her head respectfully and reached to open the door for them since Levi's hands were now full, but Eren beat her to it.

"No hay problema, señora, lo tengo. ¡que tengas un buen día!"

Both Levi and Carmen looked at Eren as though he had beamed down from outer space but neither of them said anything. After a moment she broke into a lovely smile that lit up her whole face.

"Que tenga un buen fin de semana, señ-"

"Eren, por favor."

"Eren."

She smiled at Eren for another moment and then turned toward Levi.

"And you, sir."

He nodded and walked down the front steps, leaving Eren standing awkwardly behind the door. He stood frozen in place for a moment until Carmen smiled at him encouragingly and shooed him out of the house. He found the older man dubiously inspecting his Subaru. 

"Your Spanish sounds damn near fluent, brat."

Eren shrugged and gestured at his car.

"I'm from Miami. Like what you see?"

"I was concerned it would be some terrifying bucket of rust, but this'll do."

Eren arranged his features appropriately and did his best to sound offended.

"Well if that's how you feel, you can walk!" 

Levi chuckled at him, unperturbed.

"What if I pay my way with coffee?"

He held out one of the cups and Eren took it gratefully, having suspected that one of them was for him. 

"Hmmm, I guess you can come." 

Levi smirked again and slid into the passenger seat. Eren followed suit and by the time the sun had cleared the horizon the two men were speeding north along the coast. 

°☆°

Levi adjusted the radio down, enjoying this mini road trip more than he thought he would. Eren was a decent driver and Levi was pleasantly surprised to see that the kid had both satellite radio and decent taste in music. They spurned the main highways in favor of the scenic route, shooting up the coast along A1A wherever possible. 

"So how did dinner go?"

Eren shrugged and kept his eyes on the road.

"It was fine. Mom is pretty impressed that I haven't quit yet and Zeke is impressed that you haven't fired me. Of course I couldn't tell them the _real_ reason why I continue to be gainfully employed, so I just had to take their shit."

Levi frowned at that, distracted momentarily from the view. 

"The real reason?"

Eren did look away from the road then, pinning him with a meaningful look. Levi shook his head.

"I know this may be hard for you to believe, brat, but you're actually an excellent secretary. You're punctual, organized, respectful, and great with people. Not to mention bilingual, apparently. The fact that I am personally invested in you taking my cock like a thirsty savage doesn't negate how good you are at your job."

Eren snorted but his look turned thoughtful.

"I guess they just aren't used to me... _not_ fucking things up. I haven't really been known for my stellar decision making ability."

Levi chuckled. He wondered what it must be like for your family to have such low expectations of you. In his life, failure wasn't even an option. 

"How about you? What's your family like?"

Levi sighed,

"I'm one of four. My brother Ken and I are like you and Zeke. He's seven years older. My sister Isabel and I are the closest in age, she's three years younger. Mikasa is the baby of the family, she's twenty five."

Eren nodded.

"Wow. That's...a lot of people. I was wondering why you have such a big house."

Levi chuckled.

"Yeah, well, we didn't always have a home growing up, so I wanted them to know they always had a place to go."

Levi could tell Eren wanted to ask about this mysterious comment, but didn't really know how to without sounding pushy. He saved him the trouble. 

"Long story short, my mom got pregnant with Kenny when my parents were in high school. They got married and my father joined the army. Things weren't really that bad when Isabel and I were little, my parents tried to make a go of it, they really did, but dear old dad was always getting deployed. My mom knew he was running around on her too, so she would kick him out all the time. That's when money got tight. My parents were both Catholic so they didn't believe in divorce, even when their marriage was completely fucked up…"

Levi paused, his mind a thousand miles away and thirty years in the past. He remembered the first time they got evicted because his dad didn't pay the rent out of spite. Kenny had stayed with friends but the rest of them spent his eighth birthday in a homeless shelter. His mother wouldn't have enough money to pay rent until January. 

"What do you mean, 'were'?"

Levi blinked.

"My mom died of cancer when Mikasa was two and my dad was killed in action a few years later. We hadn't seen him in a while though, so…"

He gestured apathetically. Eren looked like he couldn't imagine he felt nearly as blasé as he was acting.

"I'm sorry."

Levi hummed his acceptance.

"It's been a long time."

They were silent for a moment before Levi picked up the story again.

"Anyway, Ken was always doing his own thing so I took care of Isabel and Mikasa. They stayed with him and his girlfriend at the time for a year or two when I got a full ride to Dartmouth, but I moved them to New Hampshire once I could live off campus. When UnderGround took off we relocated here. Erwin's from Hollywood."

Eren was quiet for a few minutes. He didn't blame him, it was a lot of information. 

"So, you're from up north?"

"Upstate New York. A little podunk called Schuyler Falls which doesn't even have the decency to be Plattsburgh. All the benefits of the Canadian winter without socialized medicine."

"Wow. That's…"

"Cold."

"Yeah...so Florida was an easy choice, huh?"

"It's a fucking paradise by comparison. We all _hated_ the cold."

Eren nodded. 

"So, where is everyone now?"

"Mikasa and I are the permanent residents. She works as a model. Kenny comes and goes but he's also living with us right now. Isabel is married with a bunch of kids. She and Farlan live in a condo in Bal Harbour."

They drove in silence for another few minutes, classic rock playing softly in the background. 

"What about the woman this morning…?"

"Oh, that was Carmen. She, her husband Pedro and their youngest daughter Renata also live at the house. They do housekeeping and grounds keeping, stuff like that. It would be impossible for me to maintain an estate like that with my schedule."

"Oh hey, no judgement! I've just never met anyone who had...servants...it's cool."

Levi rolled his eyes. 

"They work for me just like you do, brat. It's not really that different."

Eren slanted a glance at him.

"I hope it's different...or I'm gonna have to reevaluate this relationship…"

Levi laughed loudly, once again pleasantly surprised by Eren's sense of humor. He mumbled under his breath.

"You have nothing to worry about there. But I think they do have a son around your age...what was his name again…?"

Eren laughed and smacked him lightly in mock outrage before changing the subject.

"You know, it's pretty cool that you're...you know...self-made. I always assumed rich people had rich parents...but everything you have you got on your own...while you were raising your sisters. You're a really impressive person."

Levi had to fight the feeling of warmth that was spreading through his chest at Eren's guileless compliment. What he didn't do for the sake of his family he did to satisfy his own inexhaustible ambition. He was a person who pursued his goals relentlessly and didn't concern himself with the accolades or opinions of others, yet somehow he found himself hanging on Eren's every word. He cleared his throat, unused to feeling embarrassed.

"Hrm...it wasn't...I mean I didn't do it _alone_. Erwin's parents gave us the seed money for the business. I'd still be working in a Best Buy in Hanover if it hadn't been for that."

Eren didn't buy that for a moment and his expression said as much but he didn't argue the point. He was surprised when he felt Eren's fingers slide across his thigh and grip his hand.

"Well I'm really glad they took a chance, then."

Levi looked down at their hands and felt something click silently into place inside him. He flipped his hand over and laced their fingers together.

"So am I."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. No problem, ma'am, I have it. you have a good day!  
> 2\. Have a nice weekend, sir-  
> 3\. Please


	10. A Certain Kind Of Warm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi finally tells someone he's dating.

Eren plopped down on the sand to breath for a minute between heats. Armin was out there on the water, bobbing as he waited for his next wave. The weather might have looked miserable to the casual observer, but for surfing it was ideal. The low cloud cover and windy conditions were indicative of a tropical depression forming off the coast. The swells were higher than usual and presented an exciting change of pace for the native Floridians.

He couldn't see Levi, but he knew the man was up on the pier observing the competition. Eren had been concerned at first that his nervous excitement at having someone there  _ just _ to watch him would affect his performance, but he found himself flourishing under the pressure. He felt at one with his board as he skated and skimmed across his waves, performing the best tail slide and aerial 360 he had ever executed in his life. His skill was reflected in his scores, which were the highest he had ever earned and put him at the front of the other qualifiers. 

"Hey Aggro, you're killing it out there today!"

Eren looked up and smiled into his friend Corinne's open face. Her Australian accent twisted around her consonants and vowels making everything she said sound more interesting than it was...unless she was complimenting him. She was one of the best non-professional surfers he knew on the local competition circuit and one of his favorite people. She lived in Cocoa Beach and worked in hospitality when she wasn't surfing. 

“I heard from your  _ Salt Wife _ out there that you aren’t going to be staying with us this weekend.”   
  
Eren flopped back on the sand and snorted with amusement. Corinne lived in a small beach front house with her partner Davina, who worked as a Disney cast-member. Their place had doubled as a crashing post for him and Armin whenever they were in town. It wasn't much but it was better than sleeping in his car. Because of him and Levi's romantic sunrise viewing, they had pulled up to the pier with barely enough time for Eren to wax his board before he had to get in the water. Armin made a big show of being salty, but he didn't feel that guilty. Armin loved bringing his bike to competitions. It got him even more attention from the ladies than his skills in the water. It made sense that Armin would talk shit behind his back, just to bust his balls. 

"Actually I hadn't really thought about where we were gonna crash, but I'm here with someone and he is the kind of person who plans out stuff like that."

Eren watched the clouds scudding low across the sky over the beach. He never really worried about that kind of thing, but now that he thought about it, he couldn't imagine Levi  _ not _ having a plan. He definitely couldn't imagine him on someone's couch. Given the fact that part of Levi's motivation for this trip was the alone time required to fuck him senseless, even a shitty roadside motel would be better than imposing on friends. He had a momentary freak out where he wondered if Levi would rightly be relying on him to have everything sorted. He indulged that for a moment and had no choice but to let it go. He wouldn't have access to his phone until after the competition wrapped for the day. There was nothing he could do about it and he really didn't want it to distract him. 

Corinne sat down next to him to watch the ongoing heat.

"Yeah I saw you pull up with some posh looking guy. Thought it was your dad for a minute…"

Eren shoved her lightly. All his friends knew his dad was a deadbeat, so Corinne was obviously baiting him about Levi's age.

"Asshole. It's actually just mildly better than me rolling up here with my  _ actual _ father. He's my boss."

Corinne snorted.

"Aren't you just brimming with secrets, young wonder."

Eren rolled his eyes.

"If it were a secret, I wouldn't have brought him. He's my boss...but...I think it's more than that. You're gonna love him. I'll introduce you guys later."

"Right on, kiddo."

Eren hopped to his feet and pulled his board out of the sand, running down to the surf to greet Armin who was just finishing a killer second run. 

"Did you see that E??"

Eren gave his best friend a million dollar grin.

"Totally righteous, bro!"

Eren got the signal for his next heat to begin and paddled out into the surf. He turned toward the beach, his eyes inexplicably drawn to the peer, where a lone figure with jet black hair stood out to him more than the rest. 

° ☆ °

Isabel Ackerman-Church sat outside of Bianco Gelato, resting on a bench under a palm tree, for a moment in the noonday heat. The afternoon was hot and humid, and though her husband complained bitterly about it, she never would. The cold rested so deeply in her bones that even the endless burning tropical summers could never hope to thaw it all. Feeling a little more maudlin than she should, she pulled out her phone and dialed the only person who would understand her in this mood.

° ☆ °

Levi pulled his phone out of his pocket ready to verbally incinerate anyone from his company for disturbing his weekend and was instantly pleased he had looked first. He hadn't spoken to Izzy in nearly a week. Too long, in his opinion. 

"Hey Red, you remembered me, huh?"

His sister's laugh slid through the phone like honey.

"Ugh you're so impossible. We miss  _ one _ Friday night dinner and you act like I've abandoned the family."

"I still don't understand why you guys won't even consider moving in. You know you'd love it and then I wouldn't have to beg you to let me see my niece and nephews."

This had been a point of contention between them for years. He could hear Isabel rolling her eyes.

"We've been over this a million times, Levi. Farlan wants to be close to work…"

Levi snorted. He liked his brother-in-law but Farlan was old money and always felt slightly uncomfortable with how successful Levi was. The guy had no problem marrying his sister, but he didn't fancy living under the same roof with someone he couldn't rival. Levi didn't particularly care, the man loved Isabel and treated her well, but the asshole in him couldn't help but needle.

"I know, I know...to what do I owe the pleasure then, if you aren't calling to beg me to let you move back home?"

Isabel laughed again and then sobered.

"I was just thinking about the past...I don't know why...and I wanted to talk to you."

Levi pressed his lips together. He and Izzy had always been strangely in tune with each other, so her reminiscing about the past on the same day he shared about it to Eren didn't really surprise him.

"I was thinking about it today, too."

Silence. Then,

"We've come a long way, huh?"

Levi nodded, even though he knew she couldn't see it.

"We sure have."

"Hey, are you jogging or something? Cause if you're at the office you need a new cell provider…"

Levi laughed at his sister's backhanded question. The idea that he'd be somewhere with  _ elements _ would never occur to her. The buffeting wind was creating a noticeable amount of interference. He considered lying, but Eren was too good to be kept secret. 

"Actually, I'm at the beach."

"The  _ beach _ ? Who are you and what have you done with my brother?"

"Ha. Ha."

"Ackerman's don't negotiate with terrorists so you tell him he's on his own."

"Asshole."

"Hmm, maybe it is you…"

They were both laughing way too hard and had to give it a minute. 

"Seriously, big bro, where are you?"

"I  _ am _ serious...I'm at Cocoa Beach for a surfing competition."

"A what? Now I know you're joking. Don't even tell me you surf now because I will never believe it. You have to actually come in contact with  _ sand _ to get in the ocean..."

Levi tried hard to sound affronted.

"I'll have you know I went surfing two weeks ago ...but no, I'm not  _ in _ the competition. I'm  _ here _ with someone who is…"

"Oh. Ooooooh."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Isabel hummed suggestively.

"You tell me."

"There's nothing to tell. I'm seeing someone. He surfs. I'm watching him surf. The end."

"Oookay."

"You are the only person I know who can make "okay" a 6 syllable word."

"I'm sorry I just don't know what to say."

"Why the hell not?"

"...Levi, you've never told me you were seeing someone before. I don't really know how to react."

"What? That's ridiculous-"

"Never. Not once."

Levi had to stop and think about that one for a minute before he realized she was probably right. He never had time to date nor go to parties in high school or college and once UnderGround started gathering steam all he ever did was work. He wouldn't have told her he was seeing anyone because he couldn't remember the last time he  _ was _ actually seeing anyone, for anything other than casual sex. 

"Well I'm seeing someone now."

"Okay."

That simple. That accepting. He wondered if she would be so accepting if she knew more…

"So tell me about this mystery man. Where does he work? What's he like?"

Only one way to find out.

"Well like I said, he's a surfer...a good one too, actually...he's funny and sweet...just um, he's...a bit younger…"

"How much younger?"

"...younger…by a couple decades…"

"Levi!  _ What _ ? I mean how many decades are we talking about? If you wanted to change diapers you could just come and visit."

"Not that many."

"How many is many? You planning to adopt?"

Levi sighed heavily.

"I'm pretty sure that would make the basis of our relationship illegal in forty-eight out of fifty states, Isabel."

"Ugh  _ T.M.I _ ."

"He's legal. Ish. He's eighteen. But he's not what you would expect...he's...he's  _ warm _ Izzy."

Levi didn't know why he was defending himself or Eren, but he knew that he wanted his sister to understand. He knew that if he said warm she would understand. Warmth to them was something sacred. When Izzy met Farlan she told Levi the same thing. He was the kind of warm a person can only be when they haven't been touched by life's coldness. Eren was the same for him, an unspoiled child of endless summer. His sister didn't disappoint him.

"Oh. Well then...I'm really happy for you, Levi. I'm sure he's wonderful. I can't wait to meet him."

And he knew she meant it.

The high pitched chattering of voices interrupted the phone call and Levi knew he was on borrowed time. He wasn't overly fond of kids, having already gone through the hell of raising his sisters through adolescence...until Izzy decided to become a mother. They were the light of his sister's life and he had to admit being an uncle was pretty damn cool. Oliver was a clone of Farlan and the smartest eight year-old Levi had ever met. Eldin was six and had Isabel's red hair and fiery personality. Jinny was barely three and looked so much like Mikasa...like their mother...that it made his heart ache to look at her. The Ackerman streak ran strongly in her veins.

"Say hi to uncle Levi-"

A chorus of  _ hello _ 's and  _ I love you _ 's crackled over the line. Isabel pulled the phone back.

"Sorry I have to go. Everyone is hyped up on sugar now so we're gonna go to the park. I love you, bro."

"I love you too, sis. Don't miss any more dinners! Two weeks!"

"Yeah, yeah...bye!"

The call disconnected and Levi slipped his phone back into his pocket. He looked out at the waves, his eye magnetically drawn to Eren's orange neoprene bobbing in the distance. He could have sworn that Eren could see him, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, in this book Furlan has been changed to Farlan. Author's prerogative. <3DiLo


	11. No Matter What

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we brush up against confessions without meaning to.

A light rain was falling from the darkening sky by the time the ocean gave up its last surfers. Eren stowed his board and changed into dry clothes in one of the temporary cabanas set up on the beach. He found Armin and together they set off across the sand to find Levi. Armin bounced excitedly by his side. 

"That was fucking amazing, E! I can't believe it!"

Eren smiled serenely as he checked his phone, scrolling through to see if he had any calls or messages from the last eight hours. When he saw none, he ruthlessly suppressed his disappointment. He knew his family's silence was a message in itself of exactly what they thought of him surfing. It still stung, though. Even if they disapproved of the activity, they could have been proud of  _ him. _

He understood why Armin was losing his shit. Both of them had come out at the top of their heats and qualified for tomorrow's final. Eren had earned the highest score of the day. Normally he would have been bouncing like a jackhammer, but all of his extra energy seemed to be flowing in one direction today…

He didn't know which thought excited him more, his success at the competition or the fact that Levi was there to witness it. In his gut he knew the answer and it unnerved him. He released a breath he didn't realize he was holding when he saw Levi through the dispersing crowd. He already knew what the man was wearing, but every time he looked at him he appreciated him all over again. His linen button down shirt was the color of a papyrus scroll and would have been loose fitting if it hadn't been for his muscular build. A pair of dark, teal colored, fitted chinos wrapped snugly around his legs above comfortable looking canvas loafers. He was toying with his sun-glasses and leaning casually against a concrete piling, unconcerned by the atmospheric dampness. 

All he was doing was standing on the beach minding his own business but he was so heartbreakingly handsome it made Eren's pulse race. He,  _ Eren Yeager _ , was the one and only reason this flawless specimen of humanity was  _ here _ at this moment. Levi wanted to see him and just like that he rearranged his entire weekend. Nobody had ever done that for him before.

There really was nothing about him that should have set him apart from the other people milling around the pier...except for the fact that Eren didn't think Levi Ackerman was capable of  _ not _ standing out. His steps faltered just out of sight of his quarry when a horrible thought froze his entrails. What if Levi didn't realize he was going to spend the majority of the day alone with Eren nowhere in sight? What if he only stayed around so he could tell him that he was bored to death and heading back to Miami?

His lapse in sanity dissipated as quickly as it brewed when Levi looked up directly into his eyes and smiled at him. The gesture was so natural and involuntary it made him want to laugh out of pure joy. 

Just like that the excitement of the day caught up with him. 

He waved excitedly and practically bounced to Levi's side, stopping just short of flinging himself into the other man's arms. He wasn't sure how he would take such a gesture in the middle of a crowded beach. 

"Did you see us out there?"

Levi looked back and forth between him and Armin but he couldn't seem to look away from Eren for long. His heart did a little flutter.

"I sure did. You guys are amazing. I've never seen anything like it."

Armin interjected.

"So what do you think about my protegé now? Shooting the curl like a fucking pro!"

Levi chuckled.

"I didn't understand any of that but if you were referring to Eren surfing the inside of that wave it looked absolutely fucking terrifying."

The guys cracked up and Eren reached out and took Levi's hand, pulling him with them up the beach. A few steps later they were accosted by half a dozen other hyped up surfers. Most of them just stopped to exchange a few words but by the time they reached the street they had collected a decent number of people including Corinne and Davina. Old Jax, one of the veteran locals announced that they were all going to  _ Coconuts on the Beach _ , so the group shifted course and wended through the teeming streets to their destination. 

Eren would normally be the center of attention in the group but he hung back, walking a little closer to Levi than strictly necessary, even for two people holding hands.

"Did you actually have fun today? I thought you might be bored or something."

Levi's hand tightened around his. 

"I'm fine, brat, I really enjoyed myself, when I wasn't shitting myself in terror that you would meet a watery end. I meant what I said before, you were amazing out there."

Eren laughed so hard he snorted which made him laugh even harder. Levi chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"So cool."

They paused just outside the restaurant while Eren calmed to giggles.

"I'm the coolest and you know it."

Levi didn't answer him but the look the older man gave him was so intense it made his breathing hitch.

"Hey lovebirds, you having dinner with us?"

Corinne appeared at Eren's shoulder, extending her hand to Levi.

"Since this one is too besotted to introduce me I'll do it myself. I'm Corinne, that's my partner Davina trying to get a count for our table."

She gestured toward the classically beautiful brunette standing by the bar just inside the entrance.

Levi shook her hand without letting go of Eren.

"Levi and yes, we're fucking starving."

Eren allowed himself to be led inside, his mind swirling with how easily Levi kept shrugging off people's leading comments about the nature of their relationship. They certainly seemed to be acting like a couple, neither of them pulling back when they should if they were interested in avoiding public scrutiny. For the sake of his central nervous system, Eren would have to bite the bullet and talk to Levi about it sooner rather than later. 

° ☆ °

_ Coconuts _ was a loud and cheery place with a dubious reputation for checking ids* and live music every night of the week. Beer and people flowed from one table to another recounting the highlights of the day and talking about their experiences, the stories of the wipeouts sometimes more enthralling than those of the successful runs. Halfway through dinner a band started covering a mixture of classic rock and pop songs and the larger group broke off into smaller two or three person conversations. 

People Eren hadn't seen in ages kept popping over to congratulate him or just check in and talk shop. The Cocoa Beach locals considered Eren and Armin part of their crew because they had been coming up since they were groms. Eren in particular was a favorite on the beach because of his easy-going positivity and desire to learn. His success was seen as  _ everyone's _ success and they all wanted a piece of him.

Eren felt slightly guilty for not spending the whole time exclusively entertaining Levi, but the older man didn't seem upset about it. He was sitting in the corner of their group's booth, sipping a draft beer and chatting with whoever happened to be close by. Eren appreciated the fact that he didn't need a babysitter, but it still didn't feel right. He waved off his latest interlocutor and slid into the booth and half onto Levi's lap, gripping the older man's shoulders. Strong hands automatically rested on his hips. 

"Hey."

"Hey yourself, bright eyes."

Eren felt his stomach flip at this new nickname. Levi had many names for him (brat or kid when they were being decent plus a slew of other, unbearably hot, nasty, and kinky ones when they were having sex) but this is the first time he used one that was so...affectionate. Levi's mood shifts left him dizzy. 

"I'm sorry I keep getting pulled away. I haven't seen some of these guys since the last competition and we're kind of a tight crew."

"Do I look upset, kid?"

Eren leaned closer, dropping his voice to a sultry purr.

"No. But you look happier now."

The hands on his hips curved around to the small of his back. Levi licked his lips and lowered his voice to match.

"The longer you stay on me, the happier I'll get."

In response, Eren scooted even further onto his lap than before. Levi drew a shaky breath and spread his legs slightly so Eren could feel the effect he was having.

"I was considering sparing your body tonight and letting you rest-up for tomorrow, but you're playing with fire, brat." 

Eren lowered his head and Levi tipped his chin up, the force of their attraction palpable, but before their lips touched, Armin plopped down across from them.

"Hey, hey, hey you two. This is a family establishment."

Eren grumbled and turned his face toward his soon to be murdered friend. He barely suppressed the shiver that skittered down his spine when he felt Levi's breath on his neck.

"What do you want, Coconut?"

Armin smirked at him. 

"I just came over here to tell you that the girls and I are heading out. Corinne wanted to know if you sorted out a place to stay."

Eren winced and peeked at Levi out of the corner of his eye. He had completely forgotten about arranging a place for them to crash tonight. He was about to open his mouth to admit as much when Levi cut in smoothly. 

"We're all good, thanks, and I think 'heading out' is an  _ excellent _ idea."

Levi slid Eren off his lap and signalled to their waitress who had handled the packed house like a damn pro tonight. Eren's eyes widened incredulously when he saw Levi hand her his credit card and a folded fifty dollar bill. He indicated their party of five.

"I've got these guys over here."

The waitress's eyes glittered and she gave Levi a million dollar grin when she saw the generous tip, vanishing before anyone could protest. Armin, Corinne, and Davina thanked Levi with bemused glances between them. As the group broke up, Armin caught Eren's eye and mouthed " _ a tiger _ ," before slipping out into the street. Eren trailed after Levi out of the restaurant, feeling jittery and uncomfortable. The older man tried to take his hand like before but he pulled away. Levi eyed him warily.

"What's eating you, brat?"

"Nothing."

"It doesn't seem like nothing." 

Levi started walking up to where Eren parked the car that morning. It was a good thing  _ he _ knew where he was going because Eren didn't have a fucking clue. 

"You just, you can't  _ do _ shit like that all the time."

"Like…?"

"Like drop obscene amounts of cash like it's nothing!"

Levi rolled his eyes.

"Two hundred dollars for dinner and drinks is not an 'obscene amount' of money, Eren."

"And  _ six hundred dollars _ for renting a used surf board isn't either, huh?!"

"That was also for the lesson…"

"That was  _ a date _ and you know it."

Levi stopped walking and turned to Eren with a confused smirk. He didn't pull away when Levi's hands rested on his hips.

"Okay, it was a date. So is this. What's wrong with me paying for our dates, baby?"

Eren grumbled mutinously. He couldn't meet Levi's eyes.

"If you keep doing that people are going to think I'm your...sugar baby...or something."

Eren was surprised when Levi didn't immediately react to his words. He peeked at the older man to get a read on his expression but his face hadn't changed at all. He finally responded with a shrug.

"So?"

Eren frowned.

"So you don't care if people think I'm only with you for your money?"

Levi shrugged.

"Are you?"

"No!"

"Then give me one good reason why I should give more than  _ exactly zero fucks _ what anyone thinks."

Eren rolled his eyes and started walking again, even though he still had no idea where his car was parked. Levi followed him but he wasn't done with the conversation.

"Do you care if people think I just want you for sex?"

" _ Do _ you just want me for sex?"

They strolled quietly for a moment. Eren didn't like how long Levi took to answer, but he appreciated that he wasn't answering rashly.

"In the beginning, yes, but now...I guess I wouldn't be here if that was all I wanted."

Eren nodded, feeling a little unsteady in a way that had nothing to do the beer he drank.

"What  _ do _ you want?" 

They reached the car and Levi pressed him up against it. His eyes looked colorless and intense in the misty night. 

"I want  _ you _ . I want to keep seeing you and fucking you and watching stupid romantic sunrises with you that I never thought about watching until I could watch one with you. I want to introduce you to my family and not worry that when you leave in two weeks to start college I'm never going to see you again."

Eren felt like his heart was going to burst right out of his chest. He couldn't tell the difference between the crash of the ocean surf behind him and the roaring in his ears. Tears clogged the back of his throat as he pressed his palms into Levi's chest and clutched at the soft material of his shirt. 

"That would never happen. I...I'm  _ in _ this … whatever  _ this _ is. I want to be with you no matter what it looks like."

Levi's lips were on him and his body was trapped between the metal body of his car and the rock hard contours of Levi's muscles. The kiss was intense and Eren drowned in it feeling the impact of the wave of desire crash over him and rob him of breath. 

"I'm going to take you to the hotel now and I'm sorry that I gave you the impression earlier that your ass would be spared, but I don't think I can go another night without fucking the living daylights out of you."

A frantic whimper escaped Eren's lips and he felt his whole body clench with anticipation. Levi kissed him one more time and they slipped into the vehicle, their need for each other a living breathing force between them as they drove off into the murky night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Coconuts on the Beach in Cocoa Beach, Florida does not serve alcohol to minors or have a dubious reputation of which I am personally aware. This statement was made for the purposes of our story considering Eren and Armin are underage.  
> ♡DiLo


	12. Nothing This Perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which an innocent hotel clerk learns something about the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Trigger warning*  
> This chapter contains graphic depictions of rimming, analingus, salad tossing, ass-eating, blowjobs, cum swallowing, and a serious daddy-kink.  
> Now that I've gotten you all excited... shall we proceed?  
> ♡DiLo

The lobby of the Hilton Cocoa Beach was brightly lit and bustling, even well past 10pm when Levi strode up to the Check-in counter. Eren hung back slightly, close enough so that they stayed together but far enough apart so that he could take in his surroundings. He had only been in a handful of hotels  _ in his life _ and this was by far the fanciest one he had ever stepped foot in, let alone stayed the night. 

A woman with a smartly tied blonde chignon and obnoxiously bright red lipstick greeted them with a courteous smile. 

"Good evening sir, how may I help you?"

Levi pulled out his wallet and slid a thick black credit card across the counter. 

"Checking in, Ackerman."

Eren's eyes flashed to her nametag to confirm a creeping suspicion and sure enough her name was 'Becky.' He suppressed a grin.

Becky tapped efficiently at her console and swiped Levi's credit card.

"All right, I see you right here. Party of two. Are you and your son in town for the competition, Mr. Ackerman?" 

Eren froze, his attention zeroing in on Levi, whose lips twitched with barely contained laughter. 

"Hrm, we are here for the competition."

"How nice... _ oh _ ...oh dear…"

He and Levi exchanged a quick glance of amusement.

"Is there a problem?"

"There seems to be some sort of mistake with your reservation. I have you booked for a King bedroom instead of two doubles...I just checked to see if I could switch you to a more appropriate room but they are all fully booked. I am  _ so _ sorry. Will that be okay for tonight?"

Levi glanced at him, his eyes swimming with barely suppressed mirth. Eren felt laughter bubble up inside him wondering just how far Levi was going to take the joke.

"I don't know,  _ kiddo _ , think you can share with your  _ old man _ ?"

Eren pressed his lips together, his hands nearly shaking in an effort not to lose his shit completely. He was nearly undone when he caught the eye of another hotel employee standing just behind Becky, a young latino with frosted blonde hair and an eyebrow piercing, whose eyes were widened apologetically. Eren shifted his gaze back to Levi and pushed his bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. 

"But  _ daddy _ ..."

He saw something interesting flash in Levi's eyes under the sparkling humor but he turned away too quickly for Eren to figure out what it was. 

"We'll just have to cope."

Becky gave them a cheery smile and went back to her computer.

"Okay...here are your room keys, and the wifi password is written right here. Breakfast opens at 6am. Have a lovely stay and thank you for choosing Hilton Properties!"

Eren swiped the room keys off the counter and tugged Levi's arm, winking mischievously at the male employee before the two of them practically collapsed in the elevator in a howling fit of laughter. Just before the door closed Eren heard the first snippets of a conversation that restored his faith in humanity.

"Oh, Becky, honey, do I need to explain…"

° ☆ °

Eren was still giggling as they made their way down the generic looking hallway and into their hotel room, the sound of it spreading heat through Levi's body. In the morning they would probably have a beautiful view, but the charms of an oceanfront hotel were ill utilized in the inky blackness of night. Eren turned to Levi for a kiss but he denied him. 

"Go take a shower first."

Eren frowned in protest, that delicious pout appearing on his lips again.

"But  _ daddy _ i'm  _ hungry _ …"

Levi felt his cock twitch again at hearing Eren call him 'daddy.' He had never had a daddy kink before but he suspected he might be starting to develop one. He wanted to swallow Eren whole but leashed his desire. The shower was non-negotiable if he was going to do everything he had in mind. He pushed Eren back gently but firmly and let his usual strictness leak into his voice.

"You will take a shower and clean yourself for me, inside and out, like the obedient bitch you are or you'll starve."

The effect his words and his tone had on the other man was fucking gorgeous. His beautiful eyes glazed over and his shoulders slumped, his demeanor turning soft and submissive. 

"Uh...oh okay."

Levi leaned forward and swiped his tongue over Eren's bottom lip as a reward for his acquiescence. 

"Be thorough, Eren."

Levi watched him slink away, satisfied. He lowered himself heavily into the chair by the corner of the bed when he heard the bathroom door click shut. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to lock down his swirling thoughts. The day had been an emotional roller coaster literally from sunrise to sunset. He hadn't planned on watching the sunrise with Eren or on sharing such intimate details about his life with the other man, but there was something about him that just put Levi at ease. That made him want to share thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a way that he hadn't before with anyone but his siblings. He also hadn't planned on confessing to Eren that he wanted a relationship...but given the younger man's response, he wasn't sorry.

Seeing Eren in his element, on the beach and interacting with his friends, confirmed a few things Levi had suspected and cast doubt on some things he thought he knew. Eren seemed to have completely different modes that he switched between depending on whom he was with. At work he was calm and organized when left to his own devices but stuttering and shy when encountering new people. With Levi he was a flustered, sexy, slutty cockwhore who spread himself open and begged to be fucked over his desk day after day. With his friends he was sweet, chill and funny, easily able to entertain people without looking like he was trying too hard. On the beach he was cool and confident and his surfing ability was poetry, power, and pure finesse. 

Levi assumed that Eren's submissive streak would be evident in other areas of his life, but so far it didn't seem to manifest with anyone but him. In fact, given what he had seen of the younger man today, him being a submissive didn't seem likely at all. But he couldn't deny the change that came over the younger man whenever he exerted even the tiniest bit of control. The fact that Eren was different with him than with anyone else made his gut clench with satisfaction. 

He could feel himself hardening at the thought of Eren readying himself and stood to make his own preparations. He unzipped his bag and arranged a small bottle of lube and several condoms on the nightstand. Next, he unbuttoned his shirt, slipped it off his shoulders and removed his pants, hanging both neatly in the closet before returning the bed. He pulled off the quilt and folded it neatly, placing it on the chair, and made sure the flat sheet was tucked securely over the fitted one. They were going to be messy tonight and Levi wanted to make sure they could get a clean, comfortable night's sleep when they were finished.

His preparations done, he turned toward the window and tried to focus on the crashing waves down the beach, anything to ignore the growing passion in his heart.

° ☆ °

Levi had been fucking Eren for nearly six weeks. He had been fucked wrapped and raw, with toys and without, sitting and standing, inside, outside, on the floor, against the wall, in a shower, and in more than one public place. Through all that, they had never,  _ not once _ , had sex in an actual bed. 

Eren bit his lip, a sudden feeling of shyness overtaking him at the novelty...the  _ normalcy _ of the situation. He felt ridiculous that after everything they had done together, having relatively kink-less sex in a bed would be so  _ embarrassing _ . 

He entered the room, his towel hanging loosely from his hips. His breath caught in his throat when he saw Levi standing by the window in his boxer-briefs staring out into the night. He had seen Levi naked before but it was usually in the desperate throes of passion when he didn't have time to really look. The amount of pure perfection he was missing out on was epic. 

Levi's skin had the creamy finish of polished marble and his muscles rippled and flowed beneath. His shoulders, arms and upper back were stacked and Eren knew his abs and lower body were shredded. It almost defied logic how a person could look so good both  _ in _ clothes and  _ out _ of them. He literally couldn't decide which was better. The blooming poinsettia at the base of Levi's spine drew Eren's eyes downward from his sleek undercut to his sculpted ass. He had half a mind to approach the older man, who had yet to acknowledge his presence, when he spoke in a low, calm tone.

"Lay down on the bed."

Eren swallowed, wondering if Levi could hear it in the silence of the room. He debated for a moment about keeping the towel but in the end, stepped out of it and lay down stark naked. 

Levi turned slowly and approached. The way his eyes roved over him, taking in every detail, made Eren feel like a piece of meat at market…and made him blush in flustered agony.

"Now what could you possibly be thinking about that would give you that expression, I wonder...?"

Eren could only whimper as Levi's voice dripped through his veins like honey. Levi sat on the edge of the bed and he felt the brush of fingers along his ankle. It took him a moment to realize Levi was tracing his tattoo. 

"I love the color of your skin. Like you've trapped the sun somehow and it lives inside you."

The fingers travelled up his calf and then his thigh and traced his abs.

"The way your muscles flow together under your skin, like liquid strength."

" _ Nnnnngh _ …"

"Beautiful."

Eren couldn't help the moan that escaped him when Levi's fingers slid across the tattoo under his collarbone and came to rest on his chin, angling his face so they were looking into each other's eyes. As if Eren could focus on anything else while those gleaming star-lights were staring into his soul.

"I have to disagree with that one tattoo though."

"My...my tattoo?"

"Nothing this perfect could be human."

Eren made a sound somewhere between a whimper and a whine as Levi's lips descended on him. They were firm and soft and the nutty flavor of the draft brew still clung to his tongue. The kiss started out light and sweet but turned hungry. Levi's hand slid down to his chest again and Eren arched up into his lover, desperately trying to get closer. He broke the kiss and pressed his lips to the side of Eren's face.

"Take it easy baby. I'm going to make you feel  _ so _ good."

" _ Hah _ ...you always make me feel good… please let me do something, let me taste you daddy  _ please _ …"

Eren felt Levi's fingers flex on his body when he said the word 'daddy.' He hadn't really meant to, it just slipped out, but he filed away the effect it had for later. 

"Later...if you're still up for it, you can have whatever you want. Right now, though, I'm going to take care of you."

Eren had no choice but to wait because in the next moment Levi was on top of him, pinning him to the bed, sliding down until he was directly facing Eren's twitching, leaking cock. He nearly cried out when Levi closed his lips around the head, sucking gently and sliding his tongue into his slit. He tried to relax but his body was shaking. He knew he was too  _ quick on the draw _ for Levi's liking, but he hoped what he lacked in stamina he made up for with rapid refraction. Still, he was determined to not embarrass himself by coming five seconds into the first blowjob Levi had ever given him. 

He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, knowing beyond doubt that if he had to both  _ feel _ and  _ see _ Levi going down on him he would never last. His hands flew to his mouth and he bit down on his knuckles to keep from cumming as Levi tasted him down inch by inch and started sucking him to a slow, steady rhythm.

The mouth around his cock was heat and heaven and Eren recognized the man's skill immediately. The thought of having such an experienced lover lavishing him with this degree of energy and focus made the blush in his cheeks creep down to cover the rest of his body. If he got any hotter he felt like he would burst into flames, consuming everything around him in a fireball of lust. 

Levi's hands slid down to grip his hips and then his ass and encouraged Eren to thrust up into the wet cavern of his mouth. He cursed weakly and did as he was bidden, his natural instincts overtaking him as he fucked himself into Levi's throat. The man between his legs moaned in satisfaction and the vibration in his mouth and pure eroticism of the moment pushed him over the edge. His entire body clenched and then released and he cried out at the feeling of his cum pouring into Levi's throat. Levi pulled off when he was spent and softening, no trace of his passion having escaped the older man's lips. 

"My god, you are so fucking sexy, Eren." 

Eren felt like he had taken one too many rides on the tilt-o-whirl. His eyelashes fluttered and he looked dreamily at Levi who was still poised between his legs.

"You... _ ugh _ , Levi... _ so _ ...wow…"

Levi smirked at him, clearly pleased by his incoherence. Eren started to sit up, knowing in the back of his mind that he needed to return the favor but Levi smacked his hip lightly. 

"Turn over. I'm not done with you yet."

"I...but-"

"Turn. Over."

Eren scrambled onto his stomach, still feeling relaxed and boneless. He genuinely had no idea what Levi was up to until he felt strong hands kneading his ass. Levi's voice was husky with lust.

"It's so... _ lovely _ ...to see you stretched out on a bed in front of me. There are some things that I just can't do to you without the proper conditions being met."

Eren tensed as he felt Levi slide his thumb in between his cheeks and brush across his puckered entrance. 

"Nnnnnngh."

"I never have time to play with this slutty hole of yours. But I have  _ all _ the time in the world right now."

"L-Levi... _ ah _ !"

Eren had expected to be fingered, so when Levi's tongue ghosted across his hole it sent a tremor of shock through his body. He tried to struggle away but Levi was sitting on his legs and holding his ass firmly against the bed. He could have fought him, but any thoughts of  _ that _ completely dissolved when the man's wet muscle licked tentatively around his ring, stimulating the delicate skin there. 

Eren spared a moment of deep thanks that he had followed Levi's instructions and really taken the time to finger himself clean in the shower. He had never been eaten out before and had no idea that that's what Levi had in mind, but he had done as he was told and he was grateful… because Levi was fucking devouring him. 

Whimpers and moans spilled from his mouth into the bed sheets as Levi ate his ass, burying his face in between his cheeks and taking turns licking and sucking on his hole. He cursed loudly and ripped at the sheets when he felt Levi's tongue slip inside him and lick him out, thrusting the way a finger would. He could feel his stiffening cock leaking, trapped between his body and the bed. The lack of friction was doing something deep inside him. Levi had denied him orgasms before using the cock ring and it felt so good it hurt. Now he felt a different kind of pressure building, coiling low in his abdomen and radiating outward, like electrical shocks firing from all of his nerve endings at once. Before he could completely lose his mind, Levi sat up, and stretched across the bed swiping a condom and the bottle of lube from the nightstand. 

Eren felt Levi's hands on him, repositioning him onto his back. At some point he must have removed the rest of his clothing because he sat at the foot of the bed, ensconced between Eren's thighs, coating his wrapped cock with lube. His eyes widened and he felt saliva pool in his mouth at the familiar sight of Levi's thick cock. His voice sounded thin and reedy to his own ears.

"Levi...please,  _ please _ tell me you are going to fuck me now  _ daddy...please _ ."

Levi's eyes were black with lust and he gripped Eren's hips, hauling him down the bed and impaling him directly on his straining cock.

"Oh I'll fuck you baby, you have no idea what you're stirring up with that  _ whore _ _ mouth _ of yours."

He moved then, slamming into Eren repeatedly while he held the younger man's hips steady. Levi lifted one of Eren's legs over his shoulder and moved him onto his side for maximum penetration. He ground in deep and rocked from side to side with each thrust causing Eren to pant and scream, letting his voice out fully for the first time. They had never before fucked in a place where they were entirely sure nobody was listening. He repeated Levi's name like a mantra and felt tears drip down his cheeks at the desperate joy of being so deeply and soundly invaded. His cum oozed against the bedsheets leaving wet trails that stood out against their stark whiteness. 

He felt himself coiling tightly as his body prepared for another shattering orgasm. Levi must have felt it from the inside because he growled at Eren between clenched teeth.

"Talk to me, baby. I want to hear your voice."

Eren locked their eyes together and started babbling, wanting nothing more than to please Levi in that moment.

"Oh,  _ fuck _ daddy, I need you to cum inside me so bad...your cock is stretching me and filling me so good. You made me feel _ so fucking high tonight, _ daddy, I'll do  _ anything _ to make you cum for me…"

"Fuck... _ I'm cumming _ -"

Levi groaned and Eren felt the cock in his ass thicken and pulse sending him over the edge into blissed out oblivion. He writhed into the sheets as he came again, moaning and cursing while Levi shuddered and fucked him through it. He slumped down onto the bed and pulled Eren's back against his chest as they recovered their breath. Levi nuzzled into the back of his neck.

Eren pressed his lips together, trying to keep his feelings in check as endorphins raced through his bloodstream. Fucking at work wasn't particularly emotional. Levi usually cleaned himself up and got back to work as quickly as possible, not even looking at Eren twice as he put himself back together. He didn't really mind it...he understood the whole situation was reckless and taboo. It didn't even bother him once he realized he'd started catching feelings for his boss. That's just the way Levi was, and he had to accept it. 

Except...it wasn't. If the last two weeks, or even the last 12 hours, were anything to go by, Levi was actually both physically and emotionally affectionate under the right circumstances. Including right now, in their post sex haze, as they cuddled. He had  _ not _ seen that one coming. He did not think for a million years that Levi was a  _ cuddler _ . Eren felt himself sliding even more deeply into whatever the feeling was that was growing between them. He was about to speak when Levi sat up.

"I'm gonna go clean up. Get rid of this top sheet and I'll be back in a few minutes."

Eren nodded. He desperately wanted to kiss Levi, but he had a feeling the other man wouldn't go for it based on where his face had been for the last hour. He and Levi got up together and he haltingly stripped the top sheet off the bed and remade it with the quilt before switching off the lights and crawling under the covers. He felt the telltale twinge in his hips and hoped it would work itself out by morning.

It was almost funny how he completely forgot they came on this trip for his competition. He was just nodding off when he heard the bathroom door creak. He mumbled sleepily as Levi gathered him up and splayed him across his chest. Momentarily revived, he tipped his face up and kissed the older man lightly, tasting his minty fresh breath. 

"Mm, night."

He felt Levi's hand wind through his hair and the other caress his back as he dropped off to sleep. When he was just deep enough under to be unsure of what he was hearing, he could have sworn Levi whispered, 

" _ Goodnight, my Eren _ ."


	13. You Have Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which we learn Levi is a betting man.

If Levi was concerned that their nightly activities were going to affect Eren's performance in the finals, he needn't have worried. The brat was up at the asscrack of dawn, stretching and looking out over the vast grey ocean as the sun peeked over the horizon. When he saw Levi stir he bounded to the side of the bed and gave him a playful peck on the lips that ended up being a little deeper than Levi was comfortable with so early in the morning. 

"Ugh, why are you so fucking  _ chipper _ ? Normal humans don't get up this early two days in a row."

Eren laughed lightly and tried to kiss him again.

"I thought we established last night that I'm not a normal human?"

Levi grumbled and shoved him away gently.

"I have morning breath."

Undeterred, Eren pursued him into the blanket he had pulled over his face.

"I will take your morning breath, your afternoon, evening, and middle of the night breath. I am unphased by said breath."

As if to prove his point he melted over Levi, kissing him deeply and tangling their tongues together. Levi had to admit that this wasn't an  _ entirely _ shitty way to wake up. He felt himself stirring and broke the kiss.

"Don't start something you don't have time to finish, brat."

Eren bit his lip, looking adorably guilty, and scampered off the bed. 

"Are you coming to breakfast? I need to eat if I'm gonna be in top form later."

Levi glared at him from his cocoon of blankets. He was  _ not _ , and would  _ never _ be a morning person.

" _ Fuck _ no."

Eren giggled at his surliness. 

"I'll bring you tea?"

"You better."

"Levi?"

"Mm?"

"You  _ don't _ have morning breath."

° ☆ °

The finals were even more entertaining to watch than the heats, with fewer, more skilled surfers hitting the waves than the day before. Armin had an unfortunate wipe out early on that prevented him from moving forward so he joined Levi on the beach where they enthusiastically cheered Eren on as he took the top prize. By late afternoon the competition had lapsed into exhibitions and Eren, tired but ecstatic joined them on the sand. A small group of them were making their way down to Corinne and Davina's place where they planned to celebrate another safe, successful competition with a bonfire barbecue. 

Two other surfers, a guy named Trent and his little brother Eric (who everyone called Grom and hung on Eren's every word) joined their group of five. Levi was nearly as excited as Grom was to hear the retelling of events from Eren's point of view. When he did ask for clarification a few times, the kid would excitedly cut in to display his wealth of knowledge to the others.

Armin cut across his explanation.

"Wait a minute, I already explained this to you!  _ Tsk _ , come on Levi, keep up man."

Eren frowned at Armin and turned a worried glance on Levi.

"What does he mean, he already explained it?"

Levi shrugged, not seeing the problem.

"We were watching you and Armin was trying to teach me some surfing lingo."

Eren gave him an irritated pout.

"You guys hung out  _ without _ me? You're not allowed to hang out  _ without _ me."

Levi rolled his eyes.

"You were too busy kicking everyone's ass."

Armin hung across his shoulder and wiggled his eyebrows,

"Don't worry, I only told your sugar daddy here about half the stupid and embarrassing shit you've done."

"Get back here you asshole."

Armin took off pelting down the beach with Eren on his heels.

Levi didn't see much past the initial tackle, but when they all met up in front of the house where the girls had started the fire both guys were sandy and gross. 

Levi perched on a rock and Eren sank down next to him in sand, leaning against his legs.

"He didn't say anything, you know."

Eren sniffed.

"I still would have kicked his ass on principle."

Levi chuckled and shook his head. Letting his hand stray to Eren's messy hair, absentmindedly combing it with his fingers. Eren hummed and snuggled against his knee like a kitten. The conversation across the fire caught their attention. 

"He could, he should. Eren, are you coming back in October?"

Levi looked on with interest as Eren's energy dropped noticeably. When he didn't answer, Levi cut in.

"What's in October?"

Grom looked at him, wide-eyed.

"Where'd you pick up this noob, bro? World Surf League holds a competition here in October.  _ Everyone _ knows that."

Levi wasn't particularly bothered by being thought "uncool" by a twelve year old, but apparently for Eren that struck a nerve. He sat up, untangling them, to Levi's disappointment.

"He's not a noob, ' _ bro _ ', he doesn't know the scene so watch your fucking mouth." 

Awkward silence descended in the wake of Eren's snap but it didn't last long. Grom looked mortified.

"Ah...i'm…i'm sorry." 

Eren shrugged but Armin answered for him.

"Don't worry, kid, he's just burnt out. You're fine."

Levi sighed, still not really understanding the big deal about October.

"So there's more of these competitions?"

When Eren didn't answer Trent stepped in to explain.

"There are national and international surfing competitions throughout the year,"

He tossed a glance at Eren.

"This one was just local."

He said 'just' with a slightly insulting level of condescension that made Levi clearly hear the sour grapes behind his explanation. He turned to Eren.

"So,  _ are _ you coming back?"

The younger man responded without turning around.

"I don't know, okay?"

He hopped up and brushed the sand off his palms, which was only mildly effective since his ripped jeans were also covered in sand. 

"I'm going for a walk."

He turned abruptly and headed down the beach toward the surf. 

Levi exchanged a worried glance with Corinne but it was Armin who tried to explain.

"Pros come to the bigger competitions, it's pretty intimidating."

Levi frowned.

"Are you saying Eren's not good enough?"

Levi heard Trent snort and it made him want to punch the man in the face. He held back the impulse by inches.

"Nah he's good enough. It's not just that, though. The bigger competitions are more expensive and a longer commitment, you have to miss school and stuff. Carla said Eren couldn't compete in the big ones until he was eighteen and then she made him put all his money into school." 

Levi nodded, assimilating this information. He could see it from Carla's perspective, but at the same time he wondered if Eren's mother knew just how  _ good _ he was, or how committed he was to the sport. Even knowing nothing at all he could tell Eren was head and shoulders above his peers in both talent and skill. 

Davina started handing out the burgers and Levi excused himself. He caught up with Eren who was sitting on the sand just far enough from the water to not get soaked.

"Hey, brat."

Eren turned to face him and Levi could tell immediately that he'd been crying. His eyes were liquid and soft and the skin around them was red and puffy. 

"I-i'm sorry…"

Levi's heart lurched. He needed shockingly little mental preparation to slip down onto the sand and pull Eren into his arms. The young man took a trembling breath and buried his face in Levi's neck, making a visible effort to calm down. The storm inside him seemed to temporarily abate after a moment but Levi could almost  _ feel _ the emotions still brewing beneath the surface. Eren was  _ not  _ okay. He stroked his hair again like he had done at the bonfire and crooned to him softly, focusing his entire being on snapping him out of whatever was gripping him so tightly. 

"Hey, none of this now. We're celebrating. You took the grand prize today. I'm  _ so _ proud of you."

Eren relaxed a bit in his arms and seemed to breathe easier after a moment. His voice was muffled from his face being against Levi's chest but he heard him fine.

"You probably think I'm the biggest dickhead. I just don't like talking about the other competitions. I should apologize to the kid properly."

Levi looked back toward the house where the others were eating and laughing. Eren straightened up and looked too.

"He's fine. For what it's worth, Eren, you shouldn't let anyone stand in the way of what you're passionate about. If you  _ really _ love this, you should take it as far as you can."

Eren humphed and looked back at the water, resting his elbows on his drawn up knees.

"That's easy for you to say. But I'm  _ not _ like you Levi. I can't do it alone. Or mostly alone. Mom and Zeke don't get it and Gramps has his hands full with Armin. I don't have anyone-"

"You have  _ me _ , Eren."

The younger man stopped speaking but didn't turn around. The silence stretched a little too long.

"I mean, regardless of what happens between us.  _ Aside _ from all that. I believe in you and I'll help you, if you want me to."

Eren did turn then, his eyes shining with newly shed tears that slipped down his face. His voice was strangely steady.

"You really mean it, don't you? That you'd bet on me."

Levi's heart splintered into a thousand tiny pieces at all the pain and hope he saw in Eren's jeweled eyes. He had a feeling if he ever found all the pieces and put them back together he knew exactly who it would look like.

"Yeah. I'd bet on you, kid."


	14. Roadhead and Romance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi showcases impressive driving skills.

Eren stretched sleepily, momentarily disoriented until he realized that he was in the precariously leaned back passenger seat of his car. Downbeat trance pumped through the speakers and streetlamps flashed by as the distance between Cocoa Beach and Downtown Miami disappeared beneath their tires. Levi was focused on the road, bobbing his head subtly to the beat and drumming his fingers rhythmically on the steering wheel. He didn't seem to notice that Eren had awakened so he took advantage of the quiet moment to collect his thoughts. 

The rest of the afternoon had been chill when Levi and Eren returned to the bonfire. He got a chance to smooth things over with Eric, happy he could put the light back in the kid's eyes. They shared food, beer, and lighthearted banter until the sun started to set. Armin left first, stating his desire to not do the entire drive in the dark. They bid their hosts goodbye about an hour later to hugs and kisses and hopes for their return. Levi offered to go grab the car and pick him up and Eren let him go, aware that Corinne wanted a moment alone with him. 

_ "Well you were right, kid. I love him...and I'm not the only one in love." _

_ Eren wasn't sure if she was insinuating that he was in love or that Levi was in love, but neither of those statements deserved the serious tone in which she said it. His brows drew together as he tried to suss out the source of her concern.  _

_ "I don't see the-" _

_ Corinne sighed. _

_ "Just be careful, alright? Levi...is not just some kid you picked up on the beach. He's a man, Eren." _

_ "I know that! Also, offended…" _

_ Corinne rolled her eyes. _

_ "Listen, I've known ya long time, since you were a wee grommet hitching rides up here and I'm telling you to be careful." _

_ He sobered up and looked her in the eye. _

_ "I hear you, Corinne, I know you're just looking out for me…but I'm not...I'm not playing around with him." _

_ She gave him a shrewd look, entirely unconvinced. _

_ "Just promise me you won't get in too deep, kid. Cause guys like that know what they want, and they get it. And that bloke wants you." _

Eren really had no idea how to respond to that so he gave her assurances that he hoped didn't sound too empty and went on his merry way. If he had more time he would have tried to explain that there was nothing Levi wanted from him that he wouldn't freely give. If anyone wasn't getting a fair deal out of this relationship, it was  _ Levi _ . He wasn't stupid enough to believe that he knew everything there was to know about the man, but he did think he had a good enough read on him to know that what he  _ didn't _ know wasn't as important as what he  _ did _ . 

Their conversation on the beach was proof enough of the man's integrity and his faith. Just thinking back on it made tears thicken the back of his throat. Hearing Levi say he was  _ proud _ of him had touched him deeply. Even if they broke up tomorrow, hearing him say he  _ believed _ in him was something he would cherish for the rest of his life. Levi was a businessman. If his record of success was anything to go by, he didn't make a habit of betting on the wrong horse. 

And he was willing to bet on Eren. 

Eren had never been good with words and found it even more difficult to express himself when something was really important to him. He had just hugged Levi on the beach and let the man hold him while he pulled himself together. Their interactions for the rest of the evening had been surprisingly platonic. Affectionate yes, but not in a sexual way. He realized belatedly that it was Levi's way of giving him the space he hadn't asked for but desperately needed. It also reinforced that the other man was truly not with him just for sex, even though he knew it was always on his mind. 

Even now, probably. 

Inspiration flashed through Eren like the lightning that flashed over the ocean in the distance. He yawned again and stirred more actively, drawing a side glance from his driver as he sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. 

"Hey sleepy-head. Welcome back to the land of the living." 

Eren huffed a low throaty chuckle and noticed Levi's hand twitch.

"You should have woken me up. How long was I asleep…?"

Levi smirked but didn't take his eyes off the road. 

"You needed it, you had a long day. Anyway it's fine. You make these cute little noises when you sleep."

Eren's jaw dropped open, scandalized and embarrassed.

"I  _ what _ ? You're joking.  _ Tell me _ you're joking or I'm ending it all."

That earned him a deep chuckle. 

"I'm not joking, don't you fucking dare, and like I said, it's cute, so relax." 

Eren shifted uncomfortably and fell silent. Levi answered his other question.

"We're almost in Delray."

"Whoa, wow, ok I must have been tired." 

They lapsed into silence again listening to the radio. 

"So...when you say cute, could that also possibly mean, secretly sexy?"

"What? I don't find you  _ secretly _ sexy, brat. Every fucking thing you do is sexy."

"Hmmm."

Levi's eyes narrowed but he didn't look away from the road.

"What are you planning over there?"

Eren shrugged and then stretched again, cracking his neck, innocently.

"I was just thinking about last night and about how I... _ owed _ you something."

Levi clearly had no idea what he was talking about so he slid his hand across the console and gently caressed the man's muscular thigh. The note of warning in Levi's tone was unmistakable.

"Eren…"

He slid his hand further down the curve of Levi's leg until his fingers brushed against what he had been looking for. He bit his lip when he heard Levi suck in a breath, grateful that he "wore" himself to the right, especially in tight fitting chinos. 

"You told me last night that I could have whatever I wanted if I was  _ up _ for it…"

He kept his hand moving, gently but thoroughly rubbing the contours of Levi's cock through his pants. He leaned across the console, deciding to press his luck since Levi hadn't told him to fuck off yet.

"Is that okay, daddy? Are  _ you _ up for it?

Levi's hands gripped the steering wheel and his biceps flexed dangerously.

"Fuck."

Eren felt Levi's cock twitch as it grew thicker. Their eyes met in the rearview mirror and Eren smiled saucily before lowering himself down and snaking under the other man's arm. He pressed his face into Levi's crotch nuzzling him, enjoying his intense heat and rapid breathing. He was about to start stroking him through his pants again when Levi shifted uncomfortably. Eren sat up.

"I appreciate the sentiment, brat, but these pants are too tight for whatever foreplay you were planning." 

His voice sounded genuinely strained so Eren didn't tease. 

"Then let's make you a bit more comfortable."

Eren's fingers went to work unbuttoning and zipping down Levi's pants, but the skinny tailoring and the size of the cock in them meant they would have to be physically lowered, which took a bit of tugging and maneuvering from both of them. When he was finally free, Eren sank down again humming happily as he lapped at the head of the half hard cock, working it slowly to full mast.

"Mmmm,  _ fuck baby _ , just like that."

Eren took him deeper, moaning around the cock in his mouth when he felt Levi's fingers caress the nape of his neck and tangle in his hair. He hollowed out his cheeks and sucked him deeper still, forgetting for a moment that they were in a potentially life and death situation.

" _ Christ fucking almighty, Eren, are you trying to get us killed? _ "

Eren backed off slightly when he felt the car swerve wildly for a split second before Levi corrected. Luckily there were few cars on the highway. 

"I-im sorry, I got carried away...I won't surprise you again."

Levi grumbled a string of curses at him but he didn't push him off so he got back to work. He was more deliberate this time, working Levi slowly and steadily harder until the man was breathless and squirming. Levi's hand became more insistent on the back of his neck and he could feel his hips twitch, his whole being fighting against having to be still and go at Eren's pace. He changed things up then, gripping Levi's thigh so he knew to expect something different and deep throated him repeatedly in deep nasty strokes while he curled his tongue along the shaft. It was an awkward angle for Eren but it did the trick and by the third deep taste he felt Levi convulse and nut down his throat to an impressive stream of breathless curses.

Eren was impressed that the car only swerved the tiniest bit. 

Levi groaned and shook his head, blowing his fringe out of his eyes. Eren pulled off and sat up, feeling dizzy and lightheaded from both breathing improperly and basically hanging upside down for the last thirty minutes. The muscles in his face felt slack from hard use. He sat back surveying his handiwork, a toothy grin on his face.    
Levi looked at him but of the corner of his eye, still slightly high from his orgasm and shook his head.

"You are really something- _ fucking _ -else, baby."

Eren tipped his head back and giggled like a fool.

"Mmm. I get what I want."

Levi chuckled with him for a moment. 

"A little help here, brat?"

Eren snickered again as he helped Levi back into his pants. When they had both settled again, Levi took his hand and toyed with his fingers as he drove.

"So...I was thinking you could meet my family."

Eren raised his eyebrows and did his best to keep the shock out of his response. He shouldn't be surprised really, Levi had already said as much last night. 

"Oh? I mean, yeah, I'd love to."

"We do Friday night dinners too, every other week, since we all have kind of erratic schedules. We had one this Friday so the next one will be in two weeks."

"August 9th?"

"Mhm."

"That's my last day at U.MEC."

Levi squeezed his hand just slightly, probably as a response to how sad he just sounded. 

"Making things official between us wouldn't be appropriate before that, anyway."

Levi slanted a glance in his direction before putting his eyes back on the road.

"Unless you're looking to get fired."

Eren smiled ruefully, actually thinking it over. He wanted things to be 'official,' (even though he still wasn't quite sure what that entailed) but if it meant leaving his job he didn't think he was willing to do it. 

"No. I'd rather wait. I get to see you everyday now…"

Levi pressed his lips together and squeezed his hand again.

"Yeah."

They sped down the highway in silence, letting the music weave its magic between them as Levi took the exit for Powell Bridge toward Key Biscayne. It was only a few more minutes until they were pulling up to his house. Levi grabbed his bag from the backseat and walked around to the passenger side as Eren was unfolding himself from the vehicle. He settled against the car and Levi dropped his bag, pressing him against the metal and glass in much the same way as he had done the night before. He stroked Eren's cheek with his fingertips. When they stood close together like this, the several inch height difference between them might have made things awkward, but Levi's presence was so overwhelming, he didn't even notice.

"I hate that I can't see you home, baby."

Eren bit his lip, once again finding himself prey to unruly emotions. He didn't want to go home at  _ all _ . All things considered, this was probably the best weekend of his life. He didn't want it to end. Levi felt so solid when he had his arms wrapped around his shoulders like this. What if when he left the spell was broken and the newfound intimacy between them evaporated like the morning mist? What if Levi slept on it and changed his mind about moving them into a real relationship? Could he handle walking into work Monday morning to Levi's cold, impersonal stare? Maybe it was worth quitting his job...

"What are you thinking so hard about?"

Eren couldn't make eye contact.

"I just don't want to go...it almost feels...kind of unreal…"

Levi chuckled softly and kissed his cheek.

"I know what you mean. Like I don't know what tomorrow is going to be like if I don't fall asleep next to you."

Eren blinked and looked into hooded eyes the color of stormy ocean surf. His heart did a funny little flip to hear that Levi had been having the exact same thoughts that he was. 

"But that's just silly, Eren, that trophy in the backseat is proof that this weekend happened. Though if you look any more miserable I am going to drag you inside and not give you a choice in the matter."

Eren made a show of considering it but in the end he deflated.

"Nah, I have to go home. My mom will worry if I don't show."

Levi looked like he wanted to say something about that, but decided against it. It piqued Eren's curiosity, but he didn't pursue it. It was taking all his self control to leave and starting a new conversation wouldn't help the effort.

"Okay. Goodnight, then. Thanks for a great weekend, brat."

Eren wound himself around Levi for one more deep, lingering kiss.

"No, thank  _ you _ . You have no idea how much it means to me that you came."

The night was quiet around them. The waters of the bay could be heard lapping in the distance and their breaths melded for one endless moment of perfection. 

Then Levi stepped back and they both dropped their arms. 

"Text me when you get home."

Eren jogged around the car to get his blood moving.

"I will. Goodnight."

He drove off into the night, looking back more than he looked forward and Levi didn't move a muscle until he pulled out of sight.


	15. His Boyfriend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren and Levi finally get to the next level.

The desk lamp flickered over an assortment of half eaten trays of sushi as torrents of rain pummeled the windows in an unrelenting maelstrom. Eren and Levi swayed together languidly, their gentleness making a mockery of the intensity of the late summer storm raging off the coast. Eren breathed in time with his movements, rocking forward and back in Levi's lap. He tipped his head back and moaned low in his throat as the ridge of Levi's cock massaged his prostate. His hands tightened on the older man's shoulders when he felt the pull of his lips against his nipple, sucking the bud into his mouth and rolling it between his teeth. 

They both wore their dress shirts unbuttoned and Eren straddled Levi in his chair, his back to the remains of their dinner. His wrapped dick rubbed against Levi's abs every time he rocked his hips, dragging him further and further under. Eren  _ hated _ wearing condoms, disliking the tightness and lack of sensation, but tonight the discomfort was necessary- it made cleanup immeasurably easier and helped him last longer. Levi had moved on to his other nipple and he felt himself twitch and clench which drew a shuddering groan from the other man.

"Mmmmm,  _ Eren _ ..."

"God...Levi… _ so good _ …"

Stormy grey eyes met his and Eren's breath caught in his throat. No amount of being with this man would ever be enough. Not a moment or a thousand years. Corinne had it wrong. He was already in too deep to be saved. They fell into each other's eyes. Eren's orgasm surprised him; he came in waves, his whole body shaking with his release. Levi held him close, murmuring against his neck.

"I can feel your heartbeat inside your body."

Eren dug his nails into Levi's shoulders and he hissed a breath in between clenched teeth. He nearly growled. 

"I need  _ more _ , baby, I need you to  _ move _ …"

Eren's body was hardwired to follow his commands. He sat forward gripping Levi's arms for leverage and rode him harder, despite how sensitive he felt, extending his own orgasm as he brought Levi to his own. He slumped forward after milking the last of Levi's release, burying his head in the other man's neck. He wiggled as fingers traced across his back under his shirt. 

Thunder boomed and lightning flashed but Eren felt calm, if a little maudlin. Tonight would probably be the last time they would be together like this and it had all happened far too soon. A week too soon, to be exact. Eren was supposed to have two more weeks at U.MEC but he would only have one and half, and the half would be spent re-acclimating Levi's secretary to everything she had missed during her maternity leave. Even worse, Levi wouldn't even be in the office. 

Levi had to fly out to Los Gatos on Sunday and wouldn't be returning until Thursday. Eren had playfully suggested he bring him along but the only half- joking suggestion had been summarily dismissed. Eren was needed in the office to hand the reins over to Petra and he was starting University of Miami less than a week later. The last thing he needed was jetlag. 

The other executive secretaries and assistants had thrown Eren a going away party at lunch today since it would be the last convenient time when everyone would be in the office. They had chipped in to buy him a messenger bag and Hanji, Erwin, and Mr. Berner had filled it with top of the line electronics- a brand new Gen 3 ThinkPad Yoga, optical mouse, and bluetooth headset. Eren had been genuinely touched by their generosity and thoughtfulness. They seemed satisfied with his promise that he would come back to visit once everything settled down at school. 

Levi had hovered on the periphery of the gathering, letting him enjoy the limelight and then disappeared into his office to take meetings for the rest of the day. 

"I have a gift for you."

Eren perked up and kissed the shell of Levi's ear.

"I don't need any more presents…"

"Oi, brat."

Eren backed off and twisted around to go into Levi's bottom drawer. Whenever he had something for Eren, that's where he kept it.

He turned back at Levi's smokey chuckle.

"Not  _ that _ kind of present...but I can get you another cock ring if you want."

Levi was holding a slim black box when he turned back around. Eren rolled his eyes but took the box. Levi wouldn't make eye contact with him as he opened it.

"I am fucking terrible at giving gifts...so I thought this would make the most sense…"

Eren felt the breath leave his lungs when he saw the ostensibly inoffensive piece of plastic inside the box embossed with his name.

"Levi...what...is this…?"

"A Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. Yours, actually."

Eren swallowed and felt heat steal up his spine.

"I wanted to go with American Express, but I figured Visa would make more sense for a college student."

Levi grunted uncomfortably as Eren squeezed on his softening cock. He repositioned so Levi could slide out of him before settling back on his lap. 

"But I mean, what am I supposed to  _ do _ with this…?"

Levi rolled his eyes.

"You buy things with it, Eren."

"L-like for emergencies?"

Levi was definitely exasperated now, but Eren had to hear him say it. 

"For whatever you want…"

Levi scrubbed his face with his hands when he realized Eren needed more of an explanation. He exhaled and ruffled Eren's messy hair.

"Look, I know what it's like to start college and have nothing, ok? Even with the scholarship I had to work my ass off at part-time jobs. I want you to be able to enjoy yourself. I know your family is paying your tuition but the money you made this summer isn't gonna stretch very far and I don't want you to have to find some shitty job somewhere…"

"So you got me a credit card…"

"It's technically  _ my _ credit card. I made you an authorized user since you have no credit history, yet. But I'm not going to use it."

"And I can buy whatever I want…"

"Yeah. Clothes, books, that new cell phone you've been pining over...but if you want to buy something  _ big _ , you should tell me first."

Eren raised an eyebrow. This whole conversation felt unbelievably surreal. 

"Big like…?"

Levi shrugged.

"I don't know, a car? A Patek Philippe? If you want something that expensive I want you to use a different card because this one only has a fifty thousand dollar limit."

Eren started laughing then, doubling over until he started wheezing and choking. He swiped the tears out of his eyes to see Levi looking at him like he was slightly insane. Discomfort flooded him when he realized this might not have been a joke. His heart skipped a beat at the twinge of hurt he saw in Levi's eyes.

"Th-this isn't a joke, is it?"

Levi shifted him back gently and stood up to get dressed.

"It wasn't supposed to be. At least I've retained my title as the world's shittiest gift giver."

Eren stared at his back feeling crushed by guilt. He tossed his condom in the trash and pulled his pants on, crossing the room hastily to join Levi by the window. 

"Levi...I'm so sorry for my reaction, this is beyond  _ anything _ I would have expected...if I had expected anything, which I  _ didn't _ ."

Levi answered him without turning around. His gaze was locked on the tumultuous ocean.

"I told you I would help you."

"That was with surfing stuff...entry fees or plane tickets or whatever...but this is too much...how can I accept this?"

"You can accept it by accepting it. Is it so wrong for me to want to take care of you, Eren? To make your life a little bit easier? Your happiness is important to me...you've become very important to me. I'm trying to express that."

Eren felt tears clog his throat. Levi was usually so smooth and eloquent...the fact that he was so disjointed right now spoke to how out of his depth he was feeling. Eren knew that feeling well and it made him feel better to know he wasn't the only one.

"No. There is nothing wrong with it. You...you're very important to me too. I'm just not used to this and I need you to know that you don't need to express how much you care about me with money. I mean I appreciate it because I'm broke as fuck...but the only thing I've ever needed or wanted from you is  _ you _ ."

Eren didn't know who moved first but they were holding each other again and kissing as the windows rattled, withstanding gale-force winds. Levi broke the kiss and led him back over to the desk so they could clean up and head home. 

"Ugh, I can't believe it's over. The whole summer went so fast."

Levi hummed in response.

"You'll be too busy to miss it soon."

Eren rolled his eyes even though Levi wasn't looking at him.

"Not next week. I wish I could come with you."

"We've already been over this-"

"I know, I know...but I thought we'd have five whole more days together and you're going to like the  _ gayest _ city in America."

"Your lack of faith in your boyfriend is ripping my heart out, brat, and San Francisco could be the gayest city in the  _ world _ and it wouldn't make a difference. I'm only interested in  _ one _ particular gay and he's going to be right here in Miami."

Eren felt like the lightning menacing the high rise had managed to incinerate him.

" _ Boyfriend _ ? You just drop that into the conversation?"

"If that's not what this is, tell me now-"

But Eren had already launched himself into Levi's arms kissing his boyfriend's laughing face with a million tiny pecks.

"Of  _ course _ that 's what this is. Gold star for finally figuring it out!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof he said BOYFRIEND. ♡  
> ♡DiLo


	16. Intervention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren's family goes off the deep end.

Eren breezed into the house, trying to avoid the worst of the rain, leaving his newly purchased textbooks in the car to avoid destroying them. He had briefly considered taking advantage of his lighter hours at U.MEC to spend some time surfing or relaxing at the Venetian pool with Armin. But the weather had been against them for a solid four days. They had been good boys instead, poring over their supply lists and buying books and everything they would need for freshman year. Despite his appearance and mannerisms, Armin had worked really fucking hard senior year and managed to be accepted as a business major. Eren would be majoring in environmental science with a focus on either marine biology or oceanography. He had tried and failed to get into the marine science program, which had been devastating at the time, but now that Levi had given him hope of a professional surfing career, he was grateful for the less rigorous course load. 

Armin had been the willing beneficiary of Eren breaking in his new credit card, never missing an opportunity to hop into phone calls and chats to check up on his 'sugar daddy,' whenever he and Levi were communicating in his presence. Eren knew Armin meant no harm and Levi didn't seem to mind the jokes, so he let it go. Mostly. He had to admit it was nice not to be broke for the first time in his life, even if he hadn't strictly speaking, earned the money himself. Money had always been tight, even when his dad was around (drinking tends to be an expensive addiction). Things got a little less tense financially when Zeke started working and contributing to the household, but real-estate agents work on commission, so other then a fancy dinner or new Nike's now and then, Eren had yet to experience the joys of a disposable income.

Probably the best part of being able to indulge was his brand new, Mirror Purple Samsung Flip. He was addicted to it within minutes. The superior camera and unique design allowed him to send Levi much better, more interestingly angled pictures than before. 

Not that having basically unlimited ready cash was an entirely comfortable experience. He started out the week messaging Levi every time he was going to use the Chase card until his boyfriend finally called to inform him that (1) he got alerts when the card was used and could check the statement anytime he wanted to- _ which he did not _ , (2) that Eren did  _ not _ need his permission to use it, and (3) if he kept  _ annoying him over every Starbucks coffee and boba tea  _ he bought he was going to cancel the card and just hire Eren a personal shopper so he wouldn't have to deal with it anymore, which pretty much broke the habit.

Eren was halfway to his bedroom when he realized that the  _ contents _ of his bedroom were on the dining room table. He stopped in his tracks feeling water trickle uncomfortably down the back of his neck. His mom and Zeke were sitting around the table clearly waiting for him to come home. 

"Mom...what is this?"

Zeke spoke.

"Mom and I want to talk to you, Eren."

Eren frowned back, his mind racing.

"Mom-"

"Sit  _ down _ , Eren."

"Shut  _ up _ , Zeke!"

Carla looked at him then.

"Please sit down, Eren."

Eren sank into the chair opposite them awkwardly, feeling jumpy and on edge.

Zeke started to speak but Carla put a hand on his arm.

"Eren, honey, I need you to tell us the  _ truth _ now, okay?"

Eren frowned at the emphasis she put on the word 'truth.' He didn't have a particular history with lying, so why...

"About what, mom?"

She gestured helplessly to the items on the table which included his new laptop and accessories, a bunch of new clothes for school he had purchased and several pairs of shoes including the custom painted Silver Surfer Van's he ordered that must have come in the mail today. Eren frowned.

"You're opening my mail now? And going through my room? Did I fall asleep and wake up in Communist Russia? What the fuck is going on here?"

Zeke turned hard eyes on him,

"Watch your mouth, Eren-"

Carla cut him off,

"Where did you get all of this? I know you haven't used your debit card. There are thousands of dollars worth of items here."

"You know I'm not using my debit card? You're  _ checking _ my bank balance? Mom-"

Zeke was on his feet doing the best impression of their dad Eren had ever seen. It sent a chill down his spine. Eren wondered with a tiny disconnected part of his brain if Zeke realized what he was doing. Eren had always been their dad's favorite so when it wasn't their mom it was his older brother who bore the brunt of their father's drunken rages. Zeke was an ass from time to time but he abhorred violence.

"Are you selling drugs? Or are you and Armin running with a gang again and straight up stealing? Tell us the truth Eren! Are you mixed up with the Cubanos this time?"

Eren's nostrils flared and he sat back, horrified, as if Zeke had slapped him. Sure, he and Armin were  _ friendly _ with some local gang members, which was bound to happen when you grew up more or less free range like they did, but both of them were too immersed in surf culture to be interested in that sort of thing beyond occasionally buying recreational drugs. Zeke comparing the shoplifting and occasional vandalism he and Armin committed as kids to actually being in a gang was beyond offensive. 

"What?  _ Drugs _ ? No, that's not what's going on here. Those were gifts from the people at work, I  _ told _ you."

Eren's mind raced and he felt heat flood his face. He didn't realize how suspicious his purchases would look, but then again it had never occurred to him that they would check his bank account. He couldn't very well blurt out that part of his gifts had been a nearly unlimited credit card. He meant to talk to both of them about his involvement with Levi but it just never seemed like a good time. He was pissed at himself for letting things get so out of control, but felt genuinely hurt and angry that his family automatically assumed he had gotten his things through nefarious means. The tears in his mom's eyes sliced at his heart.

"Then just tell us what's going on here, Eren. I desperately want to believe you, but I have no idea how to reconcile this-"

She waved her hands at the offending items, 

"I have been  _ so _ proud of you all summer, getting your act together and taking your work so seriously but...none of your timing makes any sense lately. First you come home from Cocoa Beach hours after Armin does, you are barely in this house long enough to sleep, all this stuff you couldn't  _ possibly _ afford is all over your room and when I went to check your balance they asked me if I wanted to check your  _ credit score _ . But you  _ don't have a credit card _ …"

Eren winced as Carla's diatribe was interrupted by his phone ringing. He pulled it out self consciously to see  _ Boss man _ flashing on his lockscreen. Levi's flight back from California must have just landed. He and Levi had planned to meet up when he touched down since Eren lived a stone's throw from MIA. He had planned to surprise Levi at the airport after a short stop at home, which obviously wasn't going to happen now. Zeke tried to grab his phone but Eren was faster, springing back from the table. Unfortunately he fumbled trying to get it back into his pocket and it clattered to the table, coming to rest in front of his mom. Luckily both she and Zeke ignored it.

"And that's another thing. You're glued to that phone. Don't think I don't know what that phone costs either, Eren. Was that your dealer? A contact?"

Eren turned to Zeke, exasperated.

"I told you I'm  _ not _ selling drugs. It's nothing illegal,  _ god _ how could you think that? It's...it's…"

Carla's voice was low and the look on her face and tone of her voice froze both of her sons. Her eyes were locked on the phone, the flashing missed call notification spilling his secrets.

"No, not drugs. Oh my god. Eren, who was on the phone?"

Eren's heart sank. She knew. He  _ knew _ she knew so there was no reason to lie.

He was apparently shit at lying anyway.

"Levi. But it's okay mom, really, we're together and I know it seems like a lot but it's just things for school."

Zeke's eyes were on Carla whose face had gone stark white.

"Who's Levi, mom? What are you talking about?"

Carla's voice was barely above a whisper.

"How could you, Eren? He's your boss. He's  _ my _ boss. Are you sleeping with him?"

Zeke's gaze snapped back to him and Eren felt himself rushing to explain.

"We've been seeing each other...it was nothing serious at first but then he came to Cocoa with me and...and we've been getting more serious and he thinks I could really have a future as a pro surfer. He just wanted to help out and the laptop and stuff it was from the other partners as a going away gift…"

Eren trailed off, not liking the plaintive note in his voice. Uneasy silence stretched between them. 

"Oh, Eren…"

Carla's despair seemed to snap Zeke out of his silence. 

"You have to give it back.  _ All of it _ . And I want this pervert's number.  _ Now _ ."

Eren looked at his brother in shock. Carla jumped to her feet, more animated than she had been for the whole conversation. She and Eren spoke simultaneously,

"Zeke, calm down-"

"Levi is  _ not _ a pervert!"

"Isn't he? Tell me Eren, what did you have to  _ do _ for these  _ gifts _ ? I should call the police."

Carla's eyes were huge in her face.

"I'm serious Zeke, stop! If I get fired-"

Zeke rounded on her, his expression dark with rage.

"Oh let him fire you, I will expose that  _ pedophile _ to the world and sue him to within an inch of his life. I might do it anyway."

Eren felt lightheaded and sick. His helplessness morphed into fury as molten lava surged through his veins. He could sit through this half-assed intervention and deal with being spied on and accused of illegal activity but they had  _ no _ right to say a  _ fucking word _ about Levi. 

"Don't you fucking  _ dare _ speak that way about my  _ boyfriend _ . What do you care what I do or who I'm with, anyway Zeke?  _ You're not my father! _ " 

" _ Do you reserve that title for him now _ ?"

Eren felt himself flush to the roots of his hair. The hot anger swirling around in his body turned cold. He leaned forward into the resounding silence and swiped his phone off the table.

"You know what, do what you want. I'm out."

Eren ignored his mom's voice calling him back as he strode out the door, letting it slam behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! How's that for an intervention? Please don't hate too much on Zeke, ya'll, he really does want what's best for our Bean. He's not a bad guy, I promise.  
> Enjoying the story? Don't forget to:  
> vote (⭐) write-me-a-note (📝) promote (🗣) !  
> ♡DiLo


	17. Borrowed Maturity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren sees the benefits of growing up.

Eren managed to drive a whole three blocks before he was crying so hard he had to pull over. His phone buzzed again and his hands were shaking so violently he could barely get it out of his pocket. He tried to master his voice but knew he didn't succeed by Levi's alarmed tone. Still, it was worth it to talk to him. He hadn't seen him in five days and was desperate for any kind of contact. 

_ "Whoa, hey, what's wrong baby? What's going on?" _

Eren wiped his nose on his sleeve.

"It's nothing...just, are you back?"

_ "Yeah, I'm about to get a car but I don't know where you want me…" _

He trailed off as Eren sniffled into the phone, breaking down in another poorly muffled sob.

_ "Calm down, Eren. Take a breath. Where are you? Tell me you're okay because my mind is going to some pretty fucked up places right now." _

Levi's tone was stricter this time and it triggered Eren's natural instinct to submit. He felt himself calm down to the point where he could speak a relatively clear sentence. 

"I-I'm not in danger or anything. Meet me at Hialeah Park."

Eren didn't really feel like going to a casino but it was open 24 hours and meant he would be in Levi's arms in fifteen minutes. He ended the call and took a deep breath, breaking more than one traffic law on his way to the rendezvous point. He beat Levi by a few minutes and practically collapsed into his arms when he strode up to the entrance rolling his carry-on behind him. 

Levi led him to a quiet lounge area inside the main entrance and folded them into a deep couch facing a water feature. He held him and rocked him, stroking his hair as he had the day on the beach. Eren felt his entire body relaxing as Levi whispered silly nothings to him. His presence was like a weighted blanket, grounding and comforting him; it was so  _ paternal _ that it caused a new round of hysterical tears to erupt from Eren's chest. Zeke's words echoed in his head making him feel dirty but everything about his relationship with Levi felt so  _ clean _ . He wished he could pour bleach in his brain. 

_ They just don't understand.  _

"What don't they understand, baby?"

Eren sniffled and sat up, not realizing he had spoken aloud. 

"N-n-nothing. I'm just so glad you're here. I really m-missed you."

"This is  _ not _ because you missed me, but I'll respect your privacy. As long as this isn't some weird way of breaking up with me."

Levi was holding Eren's face in his hands and swiped the tears off his cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. Eren's smile flickered briefly.

"There's that smile I missed."

Levi leaned in and kissed him then, softly, but there was nothing paternal about it. Everything that had been upside down a moment ago swirled and righted itself. Levi was  _ back _ . They were still together and okay and  _ nothing _ mattered but that simple fact. He steeled himself for whatever may come from his honesty and told Levi everything. 

His boyfriend listened calmly, frowning when Eren told him about the intervention but barely reacting in the face of Zeke's threats.

"...and I was in the car when you called again...just losing my shit. I-I'm sorry I couldn't answer the first time…"

Levi stroked his face and pulled him close again.

" _ Tch _ , it's a phone, not a leash, brat. You're not  _ supposed _ to answer the phone in the middle of something important. I'm just so sorry you had to go through that."

Eren started out mumbling but his anxiety quickly leaked into his tone, making his words pointed and frantic.

"You're the most important. But Levi, what's going to happen now? What if Zeke really  _ does _ call the cops-"

"You don't have anything to worry about Eren. We are  _ not _ doing anything wrong  _ or _ illegal. Zeke has no case and even if he did I would never let this affect your mom."

Eren sat up frowning.

"B-but he called you... _ you know _ ...how are you not angry?"

Levi shrugged, a casual ripple of muscle that Eren noticed despite his distraction. He realized for the first time that Levi was dressed in a (now tear stained) rumpled business suit and looked exhausted. A fresh wave of shame flooded him. He was clearly not looking out for his overworked boyfriend who just landed after a six hour flight. He felt horrible. 

"I'm not angry because he doesn't know me or anything about  _ us _ . You said Zeke practically raised you, right? Right now all he knows is that some creepy, middle-aged, motherfucker is banging his baby brother. You may think he doesn't care about you, but I have personal experience with the fact that you are impossible to know and  _ not _ care about, brat."

"You're not creepy and I certainly hope you're not middle-aged…because that means I'll have to live a good thirty years after you croak and I have no intention of doing that without you."

Levi pressed his lips together, following the theme of Eren's mutinous rumbling.

"No way, kid, you'll be eaten by a shark in a freak surfing accident long before I kick the bucket."

Despite his anxiety and the hollow feeling that punched a hole through his chest in the aftermath of experiencing strong emotions, his lips twitched into a smile and he gave Levi a watery laugh.

"Fine. Then we're both middle-aged." 

Levi gave him a tired smile and sat quietly next to him, letting him process. Eren sighed and scratched his neck awkwardly. When Levi reacted to things in such a mature manner it made him feel even  _ more _ like a kid. Sure, Levi lost his temper like anyone else, but it took  _ gross incompetence _ to get him to that point and he rarely blamed people for things that weren't their fault. 

Eren just wanted to  _ grow up already _ , so he could see things with that kind of perspective. There was no time like the present. He could take a page out of Levi's book.

"Why don't I invite them to dinner tomorrow? If...that's okay with you. So everyone can meet everyone at once? Rip off the bandaid."

Levi cocked his head to the side thoughtfully, visibly impressed by how Eren wanted to handle the situation. It made him feel like a million bucks. 

"I think that's a great idea, brat,"

Levi sighed deeply, trying to make it look like he wasn't yawning and Eren hopped to his feet.

"Good. Let's get you home."

He didn't give Levi a chance to protest as he pulled him and his suitcase out to the parking lot and bundled him into the Subaru.

"You don't have to drive me home, Eren, it's like an hour out of your way."

"More than that, actually. But it's okay, I want to. I'm not gonna give you to some über driver, half asleep and defenseless."

Levi rolled his eyes but didn't protest further. They chatted lightly about the last twenty four hours (they had spoken every day so there wasn't much catching up to do) and Levi admitted to being a terrible flyer which explained his exhaustion and ragged appearance. Eren filed that information away and let him rest.

After a less than satisfying goodnight kiss and promising to be back at exactly six o'clock the following evening, Eren headed for home, rehearsing what he was going to say in every possible confrontation he would have when he got there. 

The house was eerily quiet when Eren arrived. The front room was empty and the table was clear of his stuff. Before jumping to conclusions about whether or not his family had trashed it all, he went to his room and found all his possessions back where he had left them. His new clothes were all hanging neatly in his closet and the pairs of shoes were lined up next to the door. He heard a door shut and looked up to see his mom in his doorway. She raised her hands defensively before he could speak.

"I figured you went to see  _ him _ ."

Eren didn't know where she was going with this, but he was too exhausted to fight.

"I did."

"But you came back…?"

"Yes, I  _ live _ here. Did you not  _ want _ me to come back?"

Carla shook her head involuntarily.

"No! Hrm. No, Eren, of  _ course _ not. I'm just glad you did. There's so much we need to talk about-"

"Look mom-"

"Just hear me out, okay? This isn't another intervention. I've told Zeke to back off. I wanted to apologize for ambushing you like that. I just...didn't know what to think, Eren. You've been acting so strange lately and it scared me."

Eren sat on the bed and nodded, wrapping his borrowed maturity around himself like a cloak. 

"I get it, mom. I know you just...don't understand. There is a dinner tomorrow night at Levi's. It was gonna be for me to meet his family but  _ we _ would like you and Zeke to come too."

"A dinner?"

"Yes. The Ackerman's do Family Fridays, too, mom."

His mom smiled at that. She approached him tentatively and gave him a kiss on the top of his head. 

"Ok honey. Dinner. We'll come to dinner...and Eren…I love you. And I know you guys have become... _ distant _ lately but so does Zeke. "

"Yeah, I know. I love you too, mom."

"Goodnight, honey."

"Night."

° ☆ °

Levi's phone rang and he frowned at it as though it meant to personally offend him. Every time he picked it up this morning he expected to hear Eren's voice on the other end of the line and the fact that it  _ wasn't _ was really starting to irritate him. 

"What is it Petra?"

"Carla from H.R. is here to see you, sir. She is not on the schedule and I told her you're booked solid but she said it's a personal mat-"

"Send her in."

He cut the call and stood, signaling to Erwin and Hanji that the meeting was over. Erwin rose and nodded, satisfied. 

"I'm glad things went that well. Everything is ready for phase two."

Levi smirked.

"As long as shitty glasses here has everything up and running."

Hanji laughed,

"I'd never give you the satisfaction of not being on top of my game."

They filed out of the office and Hanji turned around, giving him a meaningful look over Carla's head. He widened his eyes slightly and shut the door.

Eren's mother looked brittle and uncomfortable as she entered the room. He followed her back to the desk but didn't sit when she didn't. He leaned against it facing her, feigning comfort he didn't feel. He secretly thanked fate for both his naturally stoic demeanor and the fact that Eren told him what transpired last night. He had expected something like this and was surprised it had taken until two in the afternoon. 

"Can I offer you something to drink?"

She shook her head and cleared her throat, clasping and unclasping her hands in front of her. Levi couldn't imagine what must have been going through her mind, but he felt a surge of pity for the woman. 

"I'm here to talk to you about my  _ son _ . I don't know what's going on between you two and I...I didn't come here to make accusations. I know Eren is eighteen and, bless him, stubborn so I know that talking to him will do no good. So I've come to speak to you, to  _ beg _ you if I have to, to end whatever it is you are doing with him."

Levi opened his mouth to respond but she rushed on.

"I know I'm asking a lot, but  _ please _ think about what you're doing. Eren is  _ so _ young. He doesn't know anything about life, he's...he's  _ dazzled _ by you...who wouldn't be? You swoop in and fill his head with nonsense. But what happens to him when you get  _ bored _ ? How long could he possibly keep your interest? He'll be crushed. It will snuff the light right out of him. I am  _ begging _ you not to do that to my child."

Her voice cracked and Levi was impressed, despite his deep feelings of offense, that she didn't break down. His mind ran through every insult he wanted to hurl at her, but he didn't. He had imagined what it would be like to meet face to face with Carla Yeager and put their cards on the table. He had been dubious of her skill as a parent for some time, even though his own childhood experience gave single moms the benefit of the doubt. Now, he felt choked by disdain just looking at her. She barely knew her son at all and had showed up in his office to take away yet something else Eren had managed to find for himself in the sea of neglect she raised him in. 

His mother Kuchel died when he was fifteen, but because of the man she had already raised him to be at that age he was able to go on from that devastating loss, keep his family together, raise his sisters, get a full scholarship to an ivy league school and become a successful businessman. She had taught him to be confident and trust himself. She told him to follow his dreams and never believe the word  _ impossible _ . That is what a mother was  _ supposed _ to do. He didn't doubt that Carla Yegear loved her son, but she didn't trust him and she sure as hell didn't know what was best for him. 

"I appreciate how difficult this must be for you, Carla...can I call you Carla? So I will entertain this... _ plea _ ...of yours long enough to assure you that I  _ have _ never and  _ will _ never hurt Eren, even to make  _ you _ feel better. I won't be the reason he loses his light. Can  _ you _ say the same?"

Carla's eyes widened. She was about to respond. But he was done listening.

"I hope you and Zeke are able to join  _ us _ tonight, Carla. I'm glad we had this chat."

He pushed away from his desk lightly and walked around behind it, pouring every last ounce of 'CEO' into his tone and manner. 

"If that's all…?"

"Ahh, a-yes.  _ Hrm _ . We'll see you tonight."

Levi nodded without looking up, already shuffling papers around his desk impressively. When he heard the door click shut he dropped the charade and slammed his fist down so hard it echoed in the room. He seethed blindly for a moment, wanting nothing more than to chase Carla down the hallway and throttle her until he saw  _ her _ light go out. He took a deep breath and pulled his rage back, baffled by the fucking nerve of the woman until he heard the ding of the elevator door, signaling that she was beyond pursuit.

Usually when he felt this way he would call Eren into the office for a quick pick-me-up...but those days were over…

A commotion outside his office caught his attention and he was half out of his seat when Petra rushed in behind Eren, apologizing loudly.

"Sir, I'm  _ so _ sorry-"

He waved her off and she blew her hair off her forehead. He could have sworn he heard her mumble something to the effect of "These Yeagers think they own the place." Before she left, closing the door firmly behind her.

Levi blinked, but Eren just smiled brightly at him and locked the door with his free hand. He was around the desk and on him before he had made it halfway into the room. The younger man melted into him, giggling into the way-to-intense-for-a-hello kiss. He didn't notice what Eren was carrying until he felt wetness against his chest.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood and remembered how you told me one time that you never tried bubble tea, so  _ obviously _ I urgently had to bring you one."

Levi didn't have to acknowledge that this was an absolutely blatant bullshit excuse. It had been exactly seven days since he had held Eren and he was not going to waste any of the time they had together talking. He placed the two sweating beverages down and pulled Eren into a kiss that had every ounce of himself behind it. They slipped to the floor behind his desk and Eren found his voice as he lowered his face to kiss his neck and slide up his bright blue Polo shirt. 

"Is it okay that I'm here? I've been on edge about tonight and just needed to see you."

"Okay? It's fucking perfect.  _ You're  _ fucking perfect. I needed to see you, too."

Eren wound his arms around Levi's neck. The smile he gave him made his chest ache. 

"What about the bubble tea…?"

Levi bared his teeth and went to work unfastening Eren's shorts.

"Later."

Eren giggled softly at his intensity and ran his fingers through Levi's hair.

He didn't need to be told not to put this boy's light out, because he had already vowed to protect that light with every single bit of strength he possessed. When someone walked into your life who shone so brightly from within, all you could do was bask in the glow for as long as you could and maintain it to the best of your ability.

For the rest of your life, if you were lucky. 


	18. Family Friday

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Mikasa shows a bit of a protective streak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Non-English passages or phrases are starred and translated them at the end. Sorry if this causes any inconvenience- I included it for the sake accuracy. If you don't speak Spanish, don't worry! Neither does Levi...  
> ♡DiLo

Eren climbed obediently into the back of Zeke's Elantra, resisting the urge to fall into old patterns and switch some music on. He had barely had enough time to get home, shower and change after his too quick, but  _ very _ necessary booty call at U.MEC. Levi had cum twice in the twenty minutes they had frantically ripped each other to pieces under his desk which told him more than any words could about how much his boyfriend missed him this week. It put a smile on his face and a spring in his step that helped him ignore Zeke's moody silence as they were getting dressed. 

Every single stitch of Eren's clothing was brand new and specifically picked out for tonight. He wore a fitted pink polo shirt tucked into a pair of deep, navy-colored, slim fit Levis (something about seeing his boyfriend's name embossed across his ass in leather was hilariously apropos.) He finished the look with a dark grey sport jacket and a pair of whiskey brown closed-toed Birkenstocks. He knew he looked sharp and he felt like he looked years older than eighteen. 

Zeke was wearing one of his nondescript-though-perfectly-respectable grey work suits. He wore his blonde hair artfully slicked back, making him look more like a salesman than ever. His corporate beard was always well maintained for work and he opted for glasses instead of contacts, in what Eren could only assume was an attempt to look even older. Their mom, on the other hand, chose a black, capped sleeve, knee length dress covered in sunflowers that made her look (in Eren's opinion) almost disturbingly youthful. 

Eren tried to lessen the awkwardness in the car with conversation so he filled the silence with brief explanations of each member of Levi's family with whom they would be having dinner. He was prepared for an absolute disaster, but he tried not to dwell on it. It was weird not to be driving the, by now familiar, route to Key Biscayne, but his plan (if Levi would agree to it) was to spend the night, which he couldn't very well do if his family had no way to get home. He felt almost guilty for slipping a change of clothes into his messenger bag next to some baubles he had picked out for Levi's niece and nephews. His mom had given him a look when he came out carrying a bag, but had chosen not to comment. 

Being eaten alive by nervousness that his family would make some kind of scene  _ did _ have the added bonus of distracting him from the near fatal train of thought that Levi's family wouldn't like  _ him.  _ Even that, though, couldn't distract him for long. His nerves were shot long before they pulled up to the imposing gates of the Ackerman Estate. The only thing that could save him now was Levi. He could feel his presence as they got closer and itched to see him again.

Eren was grateful for the fact that he had been in Levi's home before when they pulled through the gate because it enabled him to control his reaction. He had only been there at night so the full effect of pulling up to the imposing structure had previously been lost on him. The stone and glass edifice rose before them, three graceful stories of elegance that reeked of wealth. He could see Zeke getting excited despite his dedication to his sour mood. His brother had worked in Miami's real-estate market for five years and his natural desire to go ape-shit over having dinner in a twenty million dollar mansion was making his fingers twitch. 

Eren led the way to the main entrance and the door swung open. He smiled brightly, feeling just slightly like a fraud as he greeted Levi's housekeeper.

"Buenas tardes*, Carmen."

She nodded as they walked through the door.

Light filled the massive, open plan space beyond the entry, the walkways and open staircases to the upper levels making the place look more like a modern art museum than a family home. They were drawn to the far end of the room, to the area that Eren recognized as the place he and Levi had watched the sunrise. An older looking man (who Eren guessed was the elusive Kenny) sat on one of the sofas along the side of the room chatting to a younger, strikingly beautiful woman who, from her appearance and coloring could only be Levi's youngest sister, Mikasa. Before he could locate the man he couldn't wait to set eyes on he was accosted by two little boys who raced down the stairs. The little redhead nearly knocked him off his feet.

"Hi! Are you Eren?"

"Eren's here! Uncle Levi,  _ Eren's here _ !"

Eren crouched down, beaming at the little boys. 

"Hmm who are these little grommets? I think  _ you _ -"

He pointed at the little redhead who was hopping from foot to foot.

"...must be Eldin and that makes  _ you _ Oliver."

Eldin's green eyes popped wide and he looked at his older brother.

"Ollie how does he know my name?"

Oliver grinned.

"The same we know  _ his _ name Eld. Uncle Levi told him."

Eren got their attention back easily by opening his bag. 

"Uncle Levi also told me some  _ other _ things about you guys...that you like presents, for instance."

Eren pulled out a pack of Nanoblocks,  _ Shark Edition _ and handed it to Oliver whose carefully composed face dissolved into a huge grin. Next, he turned to Eldin and revealed a plastic tube of extremely realistic looking plastic sharks, complete with unsuspecting divers ready to tempt fate.

"Boys! Give our guests some room to breath."

"Mom!"

" _ Mommy _ !"

Eren turned and straightened up slowly as Levi and his sister Isabel stepped off the stairs. Oliver and Eldin raced to the foot of the steps chattering excitedly.

"Mom, this is Eren and he brought us  _ presents _ ! Can we open them before dinner? Please mom,  _ please _ ?"

"Please mommy,  _ please _ !"

Isabel smiled, her green eyes glimmering with amusement. She tossed her shoulder length red hair back and put her hands on her hips. She looked effortlessly elegant in a green silk top and khaki-colored capris.

"All right, but when I call you for dinner, I don't want to hear any excuses. What do you say?"

The boys turned to Eren with bright angelic smiles and a chorused "thank you," that barely registered on his radar. Levi stood next to his sister, his grey gunmetal gaze locked on his nephews indulgently, looking dapper enough to have just walked out of an ASOS photo shoot. He wore a fitted black button down shirt with a mandarin collar, that had the sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms, and a pair of flat front, slate grey, stretch dockers. He was so handsome Eren could hardly stand to look at him directly. To top it off, he was holding in his arms possibly the most adorable child Eren had ever seen in his entire life. 

Isabel distracted him from his ogling by introducing herself. 

"I'm Isabel, you must be Eren. It was so nice of you to bring the boys gifts, you really didn't have to."

Eren smiled at her and shook her hand.

"Pleased to meet you. It was my pleasure. I  _ love _ kids."

Isabel smiled warmly,

"Well I can promise you've cultivated some staunch allies over there."

Eren glanced at the boys who were already spreading their toys across the floor and nodded. 

"All part of my master plan."

He turned to Levi and the little girl currently hiding her face in his neck.

"And  _ you _ must be Princess Jinny."

Jinny didn't pick up her head, but she did eye him curiously. He didn't blame her, if he was laying on Levi he wouldn't have gotten up either. He reached into his bag and pulled out a stuffed 'baby shark.' 

The little girl straightened up immediately, a tentative smile lighting up her blue-grey eyes. Her voice was as tiny as her body.

"Beebee shark! My!"

Eren laughed and handed over the toy which was promptly brandished at Isabel.

"Mama shark!"

Isabel smiled at her daughter.

"That's right, honey! What do you say?"

The little girl looked at him again and said,

"Tank ooh."

Eren's heart melted instantly. Isabel had clearly taken up the role of hostess and moved on to chatting with Carla and Zeke. Jinny started to wiggle so Levi set her down to toddle into the living room and turned to Eren. They stood facing each other in silence. Levi recovered first and leaned forward to brush his lips reverently against Eren's cheek right at the top of his jawline. The woodsy scent of his aftershave, cloves and pine, enveloped Eren's senses. The gesture was chaste yet so intimate it made Eren's stomach drop. Levi rested his hand on the small of Eren's back and practically purred into his ear.

"You are fucking gorgeous, brat. How am I supposed to concentrate with you looking so damn edible?"

Eren could feel himself blushing lightly and dropped his voice.

"Look who's talking. Do you model in your free time?"

"You  _ are _ my free time."

Eren was jarred by the sound of Zeke's voice. He had completely forgotten there was anyone else in the room. 

"Zeke Yeager."

Levi shook his hand firmly.

"Levi Ackerman, welcome to my home."

The men were clearly sizing each other up and Eren could only stand there and watch it happen. From the look on his face, Eren guessed that Levi had not been what Zeke was expecting. Eren tried to keep his anxiety to a minimum and was grateful for Levi's solid presence beside him, grounding him. Zeke lost the battle of wills and deflated slightly. 

"Hrm, you have a lovely home."

Levi took pity on him.

"That's right, Eren told me you work for Long & Foster. Do you ever work here on the island?"

Just like that, Levi was able to smooth out the choppy waters flowing around them. Zeke didn't just  _ work _ in real-estate he  _ lived _ real-estate and once the topic was broached he was able to put on his charming, business face for the Ackermans. Not that the entire evening went without awkwardness, but Isabel's blatant acceptance of the situation went a long way.

Levi and his sister were clearly extremely close, sharing glances and non-verbal signals throughout the evening. Isabel's husband Farlan was a pleasant, unassuming fellow who worked in estate law. He was taller than Zeke and had dark blonde hair and blue eyes to match Oliver's. He seemed nice and chatted with everyone in an equally disinterested sort of way. He spent most of the dinner on his phone and nobody in his family seemed to particularly mind. 

Kenny was interesting and had a mysterious air about him. His hair was reddish brown and just a shade darker than Isabel's. Though he was well-dressed, he still gave off a drifter vibe. He and Levi had the same undefinable charisma, but while Levi inspired trust and confidence, Kenny seemed more like a snake-oil salesman. He and Levi were definitely related but they were so different it was hard to imagine them growing up together. Mikasa on the other hand was Levi's clone in female form with slightly bluer eyes. She was physically gorgeous, toned and athletic in an almost androgynous way, with sleek black hair and delicate features. Eren wanted to like her, but he just couldn't get past her attitude. 

She clearly disliked him, pointedly ignoring him from the start. She sat obediently, displaying a finely tuned resting bitch face. He knew she worked as a model and had control over her facial muscles, which meant her attitude was entirely deliberate and it didn't help the situation. It was clearly only out of respect for her brother that she didn't make a scene. Halfway through the meal she and Zeke seemed to bond, entertaining their end of the table with unsubtle snide comments and derisive laughter. Eren could only assume their budding alliance was a result of their mutual agreement that his and Levi's relationship was completely inappropriate. 

Any time the conversation got too strained, Isabel diffused it by encouraging the boys to ask Eren questions about surfing, which he was glad to answer. Oliver was a curious kid, brimming with questions.

"Hey, what's a  _ grommet _ ?"

Eren smiled.

"That's what we call little surfer dudes like you."

His dark blue eyes went wide.

"Like  _ me _ ?"

"Sure little, bro. I started surfing when I was your age."

"Can...can I learn surfing?"

"As long as you can swim, sure can. But uh...you have to ask your mom."

Isabel's brows were knitted but she didn't interrupt. 

Oliver bit his lip looking sheepish.

"But it's in the ocean right? I  _ can _ swim but only in the pool."

Eren nodded.

"Well then we will have to start by going to the beach. Once you're used to the waves I can teach you how to ride them."

"All  _ right _ ! Uhm, is that okay, mom?"

Eldin put in his two cents, too,

"Uncle Levi will come to the beach too,  _ right _ Uncle Levi?"

Isabel still looked uneasy but her expression softened and turned sly.

"Well I guess that's fine, if  _ Uncle Levi _ comes too."

Levi chuckled and rolled his eyes. 

"I guess we're going to the beach."

"Tomorrow? Can we go tomorrow?"

Eren shrugged.

"I'm free, but this weather has to hold."

Oliver seemed satisfied with that. He ate a forkful of broccoli and perked up again.

"Can I show you how well I can swim? Uncle Kenny calls me a fish! We can go in the pool after dinner!  _ Can _ we mom?"

At that Isabel shook her head. 

"I'm sorry kiddos, it's already getting late."

The conversation ranged across many topics, Isabel doing her hostess-best to gloss over the fact that at one point Eren, Levi, and Carla all worked together. Nobody addressed the elephant in the room and for that Eren was grateful. He and Levi together was simply being treated as the current situation rather than some sort of negotiable circumstance. 

After dessert concluded, Levi pushed back from the table and rose, thanking the Yeagers for joining them. Little Jinny had fallen asleep on Farlan's shoulder ages ago and the evening had clearly drawn to a close. Carla and Zeke gestured to Eren to leave. After a quick confirmation from Levi, he followed them through to the entry hall.

"Actually, I'm gonna stay here tonight."

Zeke looked like he was going to protest but Carla gripped his arm and shook her head. He bid them a quick farewell and Kenny got up to walk them out to the car. Levi helped Isabel and Farlan bustle the kids out to sleepy 'goodnights' and 'see you tomorrows' from everyone. 

Eren found himself awkwardly alone in the entrance hall with Mikasa. He thought she was just going to ignore him as she had all night, but she marched straight up to him and looked him in the eye, her impractical looking spiked high heels putting her nearly at eye level with him. Her stone-faced expression gave absolutely nothing away. 

"I don't trust you. You  _ think _ you're so slick with your charming personality and whole 'surfer dude' thing but I've got my eye on you,  _ Eren Yeager _ . My siblings treat me like a kid, but I promise I am  _ more _ than capable of  _ crushing _ you if I even get the  _ vibe _ that you are using my brother."

Eren stood silently, too shocked to be offended. In a way it was actually kind of cute...in an absolutely fucking terrifying way. She kept staring at him, unblinking until it started to become even more awkward than it already was. Mikasa was clearly the type that didn't back down.  _ Must run in the family. _ He scrambled, assuming she was waiting for some kind of response. 

"I believe you. I suppose there is nothing I can say to convince you that this is real for me, so I'll just have to prove it. I look forward to changing your mind."

Mikasa narrowed her eyes at him and nodded, her face breaking into a chillingly genuine looking, warm smile the second the door opened. 

"It was great meeting you, Eren."

She turned to her brothers.

"I'm gonna head to bed. I have a shoot early tomorrow."

She kissed Levi and Kenny on their cheeks and went up the staircase opposite the one Eren was standing near. Kenny nodded at them both while he fidgeted with his phone and followed her, leaving Eren and Levi standing across from each other as silence descended on the house.

Eren didn't have words to describe how he felt about the evening, but he didn't need them. Before he could even sigh with relief, Levi took his hand and led him upstairs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Good afternoon.  
> ♡DiLo


	19. Nightswimming [R-18 Smut Warning]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren lets go of some tension.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back again, my darlings! This chapter is specially dedicated to magpiequeen444 who inspired both the water-ogling and the song titled in the chapter. On that note, it would be my preference, if possible, for you to listen to the song, Nightswimming by R.E.M. while you read the relevant parts of the story as it is so beautifully apropos to our lovers.  
> Thank you for sticking with me,  
> ♡DiLo

Eren had yet to be upstairs and it was predictably just as impressive as the rest of the house. The master suite seemed to take up the entire south wing of the second floor. It had a glass and marble bathroom, two walk-in closets, and a massive bed that faced a view of the ocean, afforded to the room by two walls that seemed to be made entirely of glass. A wraparound balcony terminated in a completely private infinity pool that was hidden from the rest of the house by carved stone walls. 

The weather was calm and stars twinkled brightly over the water. Eren didn't realize how long he must have been staring at the view when he felt Levi's arms around him. 

"Do you want to take a swim with me?"

Eren's gaze shifted down to the water on the other side of the glass. Bright colors danced under the surface.

"How do you have a pool on a second story balcony?" 

Levi slid Eren's jacket off his shoulders and tossed it on a nearby chair. He started kissing Eren's neck before answering.

"How do you still have so much clothing on?"

Eren hummed and turned around, surprised to see that Levi had already unbuttoned his shirt. He pushed his lip out and fluttered his lashes low.

"But I don't have anything to swim in."

Levi growled his response.

"If you did, I wouldn't let you wear it anyway."

Eren thought Levi was going to kiss him but he backed away, never taking his eyes off of Eren's face as he slowly divested himself of both his pants and his unbuttoned shirt. Eren was still staring at him stupidly when he slipped down his underwear, his thick cock brushing against his muscular thigh as he bent down to remove his socks.

"I'll be waiting."

Eren counted to ten to calm his racing heart and ran to the bathroom as soon as Levi walked outside. He undressed quickly and ran his fingers through his hair, determined not to look like a complete disaster. He considered fingering himself open, but in the end he was too tense and excited to do it himself. He could feel the pressure and anxiety of the evening loosening its death grip, finger by finger.

He walked through the dark bedroom, the only lights coming from the pool and lighted grounds behind the house. Levi was already in the pool, facing out toward the horizon. The multicolored lights cast shadows on his back and shoulders. His skin was so pale it picked up the rippling colors with startling clarity. Eren had never been an artist but he found himself moved to pick up a paintbrush and immortalize the moment. If  _ only _ he could do it justice. Knowing he couldn't, he laughed at his own silliness, his mirth interrupting the silence. Levi turned toward him and smiled. 

Eren thanked god for his athletic heart. One day that smile was going to kill him. 

The pool was a seamless part of the balcony. The first several feet were a ledge that was only about six inches deep and it wrapped around the side of the house in an L shape. It was decently large enough to swim half a lap on the long side. The bottom of the L terminated in an infinity feature, making it look like it blended seamlessly with the water of the bay. Eren slipped into the water to find it pleasantly warm. At its deepest point the water came to 5 feet and then sloped up slightly to the infinity edge. Levi's voice was quiet in the darkness.

"I thought you might have bolted after meeting my family." 

Eren dropped into the pool and took two long seamless strokes to reach Levi's side, mentally reviewing the ridiculousness of finger-combing his now wet, slicked back hair. He popped up and rested against the edge of the pool. 

"I could say the same thing about you."

He had prepared himself for one of Levi's witty, dagger sharp comebacks, but he was met with silence and a look that bordered on wonder. The words were muttered in an undertone, as if he wasn't even supposed to hear them. 

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Eren?"

He dropped his eyes shyly, afraid that Levi would see his heart in them. Every now and then when it became clear that the two of them were thinking the  _ exact _ same thought or feeling the  _ exact _ same feeling, Eren was overcome with the need to blurt out every single one of his feelings, which seemed very premature at this stage in their relationship. Looking away was to his advantage, but it was also substantially to his detriment as it brought him the full glorious view of Levi's naked body, submerged and backlit in the shifting water. He couldn't stop aimless babbling from erupting out of sheer nervousness. 

"I thought you said we were gonna swim, you didn't even get your hair wet...and I  _ still _ don't get this whole pool thing. I thought you hated the water…"

Levi quirked a grin at him. 

"I didn't say I hated the  _ water _ , I said I hate the  _ beach _ . I swim almost every morning."

Eren eyed him skeptically. 

"So you think you're a pretty good swimmer, huh? Good enough to beat me in a race?"

Levi raised an eyebrow at him. 

"Maybe. Given the right incentive." 

Eren thought about it for a moment.

"Hmm, maybe not tonight. Maybe I just wanna see you all wet and messy."

Levi rolled his eyes and took a deep breath, disappearing smoothly under the surface of the water without preamble. Eren watched him kick off from the edge of the pool and glide below the surface until he was halfway to the center of the L where he came up to breathe. Eren stood transfixed as he watched Levi break the surface, the calm waters cascading down his chest and shoulders. He flung his fringe back out of his eyes and it slicked away from his forehead in a way Eren had never seen before. As silently as he had vanished he swam back toward Eren, the lights of the pool accentuating the contours of his thick muscles as he took the three powerful strokes necessary to rise directly in front of Eren and grip his waist.

"Am I wet enough for you now?"

Eren was no longer going to pretend to control his breathing. 

"Very,  _ hah _ … very wet…"

Levi's lips and teeth attacked his neck and he gasped. The sound was loud against the backdrop of the gently lapping water. It echoed around them embarrassingly. Levi backed off and frowned.

"Hmm that won't do."

He led Eren over to the corner of the pool and flipped up a clear plastic cover that was mounted on the stone. Eren looked at it curiously. 

Levi answered his unasked question. 

"Built in stereo system. In the mood for anything in particular?" 

Eren smiled saucily. 

"You?"

"Oh you'll get me, don't worry about  _ that _ . I just don't want the neighbors hearing all of the delightful sounds you make  _ while _ you're getting me."

Eren tried not to blush. He doubted the neighbors were remotely close enough to hear anything, but sound  _ did _ carry over water and he wasn't particularly an exhibitionist. 

"We'll just see what... _ ahh _ , the perfect song."

Eren cocked his head to the side, a slow smile spreading on his lips as the first strains of R.E.M.'s  _ Nightswimming _ filled the air around them. 

They returned to the center edge of the pool and Levi held him close. They swayed together to the music, almost dancing as Levi lip synced the first lines of the song,

_ Nightswimming deserves a quiet night _   
_ The photograph on the dashboard,  _   
_ taken years ago _   
_ Turned around backwards so the windshield shows _   
_ Every streetlight reveals the picture in reverse _   
_ Still, it's so much clearer _   
_ I forgot my shirt at the water's edge _   
_ The moon is low tonight... _

Eren ran his hands down Levi's wet chest, feeling the muscles jump and twitch under his fingers. The water droplets ran in tiny rivulets down his skin. Eren tried to trace them with his fingertips. He picked up the next stanza while Levi continued to rock them,

_ Nightswimming deserves a quiet night _   
_ I'm not sure all these people understand _   
_ It's not like years ago _   
_ The fear of getting caught _   
_ Of recklessness and water _   
_ They cannot see me naked _   
_ These things, they go away _   
_ Replaced by everyday... _

Eren mimed emotions with his lip sync, putting particular emphasis on the second line, and it drew a chuckle from Levi that made his body tremble. Levi gripped his face between his hands like he was the most precious treasure in the world and took up the lyrics,

_ Nightswimming, remembering that night _   
_ September's coming soon _   
_ I'm pining for the moon _   
_ And what if there were two _   
_ Side by side in orbit _   
_ Around the fairest sun? _   
_ That bright, tight…forever drum _   
_ Could not describe nightswimming… _

The music faded into the background and Eren felt tears on his cheeks. He didn't understand what was happening but he could see the answering emotion in Levi's face, which had frozen at the moment his had. His voice was a plaintive whisper

"...Levi...I…"

He never got the words out. The moment was perfect and the kiss that filled it was sweet and soft and so full of longing and... _ love _ that it overflowed and wrapped them both in warmth. It was the kind of kiss that sent great men to battle and welcomed the victors home. A kiss that held the promise of a flame that would flicker for a thousand years but never go out. 

For that one, perfect moment, Eren knew with absolute certainty what it felt like to love and be loved in return.

Then the moment was buried by urgency that bubbled up between them both and sent them spiraling back to their comfort zone. Eren gasped into Levi's mouth and wrapped his legs around the older man's hips, their nakedness coming back to him as he pressed close. He moaned again when he felt the undersides of their cocks rubbing together between their bodies. He gripped Levi's shoulders, feeling their strength as hands slid down his body to tease him open. 

Eren had a moment where he worried it would feel strange if water went inside him but it was quickly replaced by the pleasure of Levi teasing him. He came to his senses when he felt Levi separating their bodies.

"Turn around, baby, I want to fuck you this way. That's right."

Eren gripped the infinity edge of the pool after Levi turned him around, the roughness of the stone an interesting sensory counterpoint to the warm water and Levi's smooth skin.

"Just look out at the water, baby…"

Eren opened his eyes wide to the black horizon and gasped. With nothing obstructing his view he felt like he was floating out there on the calm waters with billions of stars above him and nothing but Levi's strong grip keeping him safe. Pleasure shuddered through his body as Levi entered him and he thrust backward, desperate for more. If he didn't have this connection he would go spinning out into the vastness of sea and sky. His life depended on it.

Levi gripped him tighter and groaned.

" _ Fuck _ ...how are you this  _ fucking tight _ when i've already had you twice today?" 

His words only made Eren clamp down harder and Levi grunted harshly. He leaned down kissing the back of Eren's neck and the anchor on his shoulder blade. His voice was as gruff as Eren had ever heard it and even that sounded like the shush of satin.

"You have to relax for me, baby, or I won't be able to move."

With more kisses and soothing caresses Eren calmed down and Levi was able to move, thrusting slowly until Eren begged him to go faster. The water splashed over the edge of the pool and Eren clung to his perch as Levi used his twitching passage to pleasure them both. When he started to tighten again, feeling those beautiful coils of lust wrap around his stomach Levi gripped his cock and stroked it under the surface of the water. He spilled himself, shaking with shattering relief and felt Levi continue fucking him, sliding against his abused prostate as he rode out his own orgasm. 

With a firm grip on Eren's chest, Levi floated them over to the lip on the opposite side of the pool and they both dragged themselves out of the water and lay down, heads resting on dry stone, bodies barely covered by gently lapping water, legs floating over the deeper drop. 

The relief of the moment was almost as intense as the arousal had been. Eren had missed Levi the way an addict clamors for their next hit. Texting with him throughout the day and chatting with him while he haunted Hialeah Gardens in the evening was a poor substitute to seeing his face, touching his skin, and sheathing his body. The confrontation with his family had been beyond stressful and even dinner tonight was fraught with anxiety. For someone who was used to a relatively stress-free life, the last week had been a shockingly uncomfortable one-eighty. 

Finally he felt like everything was calming down. 

Eren didn't know how many songs they lay there for, how many airplanes or shooting stars whizzed by overhead or even if he fell asleep. Long before he was ready to move he was being urged to his feet and brought through the house to a bright steaming shower, washed gently but thoroughly, toweled dry and tucked into a bed that had the softest pillows he had ever put his head on.

He should have fallen right to sleep, but something was missing. He didn't settle until that something slipped under the blankets and wrapped around him from behind, laying soft kisses on his neck and shoulder and whispering, so quietly he might not even have heard it at all,

_ I love you. _


	20. The Reset Button

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Isabel sheds some light on Levi's past.

Eren sank down on the sand, drained but happy, shaking some water out of his ear like a wet dog. The afternoon sun slanted overhead, hot and relentless. He had always loved kids, and Isabel's kids had been nothing but enthusiastic and well behaved, but spending the day chasing after three of them was damn tiring. Armin drove the Subaru over and he and Krista (who turned out to be  _ very _ real and  _ very _ into Armin) joined them at South Pointe Beach. Armin brought a selection of boogie boards for the groms to try out and then the two of them took Eldin and Oliver out on their boards to give them a taste of "real" surfing. The waves were boring from a surfing perspective, but it was perfect for their needs so Eren couldn't really complain. 

The boys had both been tentative about it at first, but everyone had a great time and came back safely. They had all gone wading after that and had a sand castle building competition, which Levi judged, because despite his good natured attendance at the activities, his amusingly vehement hatred of sand was hard to mask. They were all taking a break from organized activities now and relaxing. Armin and Krista wandered off hand in hand and the boys were playing with sand toys surrounded by the ruins of the surviving castles. 

As usual, Eren's eyes unerringly found Levi. He stood down by the waterline, chasing after Jinny who was the vision of youthful innocence; her wet bathing suit had long since been peeled off and replaced by a delicate, fluttery, white eyelit sundress that danced around her knees. She found it endlessly engaging to get as close to the water as she could and then toddle quickly away as it lapped at her feet.

Levi was striking as ever today, wearing black board shorts and a long sleeved, white rash guard, despite the fact that (to Eren's unmitigated pleasure) Levi had him empty half a bottle of sunscreen on his body in the morning. The wet material of the rash guard clung to his cuts and curves like a lover, garnering him thirsty looks from passers-by as he played with his niece. Eren was preoccupied by a stab of jealousy when Levi exchanged a terse but friendly greeting with one who giggled so flirtatiously it was a wonder they didn't drop and spread their legs right on the sand.

"Mind if I join you?"

Isabel had gone to the nearby pavilion to use the restroom and was walking toward him. He gestured to the spot next to him. Anything to distract him from sprinting down the beach and murdering someone in cold blood for daring to speak to his boyfriend...

"I think I can spare some room."

She smiled at him and lowered herself to the ground gracefully, adjusting her wide-brimmed hat so her face wasn't hidden from him. Eren genuinely liked Isabel but for the life of him he couldn't understand why  _ she _ liked  _ him _ . He was so used to people disapproving of his new relationship (except Armin, though even he made jokes incessantly) it seemed odd that she would welcome him with such open arms. 

"Thanks for coming today and letting the boys go out on the water with us. You must have been worried about them."

What Eren really wanted to thank her for was what going to the beach with them represented, and what her acceptance and support meant to him, but he didn't have the words. Luckily she was just as quick as her brother.

"Are you kidding? Thank  _ you _ ! Having the kids occupied like this is amazing. I've lived here for over a decade and I've never felt more  _ Floridian _ ."

Eren grinned.

"I thought Farlan was from here. Doesn't he take you guys to the beach?"

Isabel gestured around herself good naturedly.

"As you can see by the fact that my husband is  _ not _ here at the moment, that's a pretty solid no. Farlan is from here, but he's a  _ beach club  _ Floridian."

Eren tried to puzzle out her meaning but decided to leave married-couple mysteries to the older and wiser for the moment. Isabel interrupted his thoughts. 

"You are probably wondering why I'm actually so okay with this."

She gestured at him and then Levi who was now swinging Jinny through the foamy surf to the sound of high pitched, shrieking giggles. Eren's stomach dropped, not sure he could take another Mikasa-style threat at the moment. 

"I guess I was wondering that...why  _ are _ you okay with it?"

Isabel's gaze settled on her brother. 

"How much has Levi told you about our childhood?"

Eren ran the sand between his fingers, unable to keep from fidgeting. 

"Um, I know you guys had it rough, absentee dad, money troubles, becoming orphans…"

"Wow, he  _ has _ told you a lot…"

Eren winced, wondering if Levi had broken some kind of sibling confidence. She was quick to reassure him.

"No it's okay! We're not ashamed of our past. Levi just doesn't usually talk about it. I'm glad he did because it makes it easier to explain…"

She paused to collect her thoughts and Eren didn't interrupt.

"Levi didn't really  _ have _ much of a childhood. Even though he's only three years older, he has been like a father to me from my earliest memories. He was younger that Ollie the first time we got evicted. He was our rock. I don't think she meant to, but our mom had to lean on him back then and he...rose to the occasion…"

Eren spoke into the loaded silence. Something had been on his mind for a while and he was never going to find a better time to voice it.

"But what about Kenny? Wasn't he, what...fifteen, sixteen when that happened? Where was  _ he _ ?"

For all of his issues with Zeke, when his own dad left, his brother had stepped up. That's what older brothers were  _ supposed _ to do. 

Isabel made a face.

"Ken is not a bad guy, but he has always been the type to look out for  _ numero _ _ uno _ . He took after our father in that respect. It didn't occur to us to resent him at the time...for our mom it was one less person she had to worry about...it was only later that we realized he should have been there for us."

She shrugged,

"Can't change the past, though. The point is, Levi's childhood was over on his eighth birthday. He took over raising me so that our mom could work. Things might have turned out differently if our mom hadn't gotten sick...she was diagnosed with cancer after Mikasa was born. She had good days and bad days, but it gave him even more responsibility. He would get Mikasa to daycare and us to school in the morning, come straight home after school and cook us dinner and stay up half the night studying. He never had friends or did the things other kids did. Things he encouraged  _ me  _ to do. He was either taking care of us or doing schoolwork. On weekends he would nurse our mom because she only got care Monday through Friday..."

Eren had to swallow past the lump that had formed in his throat. He thought  _ he _ had it bad with his deadbeat dad and overbearing brother...but he had a childhood and friends and hobbies…and a mom who was still alive to annoy him.

"When mom passed Levi just took over. It was pretty seamless for us. Now that I'm a mother I realize how hard it must have been for him to maintain it all…even in college he followed the same pattern. I've  _ never _ known a person who worked harder than my brother. Jinny is the same age Mikasa was when our mom died."

Isabel trailed off again, looking down the beach at her daughter and her brother. She shook herself after a moment.

"It seems like you've somehow hit his reset button. I mean all this stuff, surfing, relaxing at the beach, taking off for the weekend out of nowhere…he's never done that kind of thing before. He gets to be young again with you…"

She bit her lip and looked at him apologetically,

"I mean not that you're a  _ kid _ -"

Eren shook his head. His voice was far away.

"No, I know what you mean."

They fell silent and Eren watched Levi down the beach, letting all this new information settle into the cracks and crevices of his mind. It put everything in a much deeper perspective for him. He had wondered about it himself...how someone as smart, serious, and successful as Levi could think he had anything to offer. 

Eren was starting to realize that what he represented to Levi was that feckless, carefree youth he was never able to experience. Levi said it in his own words that day in Cocoa Beach and again when he gave him the credit card, but both times Eren had been too involved in his own emotions to put two and two together. He wanted Eren to stay as lighthearted and carefree for as long as he could, to experience college and young adulthood in a way he couldn't...for both of them. 

Tears rolled down his cheeks before he could stop them. Isabel had the grace not to notice.

"My brother isn't a pervert and you're not a gold-digger. I think you are two people who found each other at the right time. I think you're exactly what he needs." 

Eren brushed his tears away, trying not to get too much sand in his eyes. There was only one thing he could say and he didn't think at this moment he could say it out loud to anyone else.

"I love him."

Isabel reached out and squeezed his arm gently before pulling her hand away. 

"Thank you." 

Eren was going to respond when Eldin let out an ear splitting screech and Isabel hopped up to scold Oliver for burying his brother in the sand. Eren got up too and ambled to the water's edge where Levi was standing, looking out at the horizon with a half asleep Jinny cuddled to his chest. 

He ran his fingers down Levi's spine, letting them linger over the spot where his tattoo could be seen lightly through his shirt. The wind whipped at them, spraying their legs with surf and Levi instinctively curled Jinny away from the elements. 

"You're such a natural...with the kids. You're gonna be such a great dad one day. I mean, if you want."

Levi shrugged off the compliment. 

"I have a lot of experience. I haven't really thought about whether or not I want kids. Maybe a cat…"

Eren blinked in surprise. 

"A  _ cat _ ?"

Levi slanted a glance at him.

"Is that so weird?"

Eren grinned.

"No, no not at all...I just didn't take you for a pet person. Like maybe you'd be one of those guys who has a tank full of rare tropical fish and you breed them or something."

Levi chuckled under his breath and the sound made Eren shiver.

"I think that makes you the weird one, brat. Fish breeding...I mean, strictly speaking I'm  _ not _ a pet person...all that hair and slobber. I could  _ never _ have a dog. But cats are alright. You can have an  _ understanding _ with a cat."

Eren bit his lip in amusement.

"Mm yes, they  _ know _ …"

"And  _ they _ know that  _ you _ know…"

"And  _ they _ know that  _ you _ know that  _ they _ know…"

He and Levi both cracked up, trying to keep their laughter as silent as possible to keep from waking Jinny. It didn't work and soon the cranky, tired little girl was wailing.

"On that note, I think I've had enough of the beach for one day."

After saying goodbye to Armin and Krista and packing the kids into Isabel's Volvo, Eren and Levi strolled up Collins Avenue hand in hand, had a late lunch at a small outdoor cafe and headed back to the house where they showered together, had mindblowingly intimate sex in Levi's bed (for a change) and then cuddled in the home theater watching movies for the rest of the day. 

It was the perfect end to the perfect summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> But don't worry, it's not the end of the story! We shall continue soon. These boys have so much more life to live together ♡  
> Enjoying the story? Don't forget to: vote (⭐) write-me-a-note (📝) promote (🗣) !  
> ♡DiLo


	21. It's A Lifestyle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren starts university and we meet his new friends.

September sun baked the University of Miami Coral Gables campus overhead.   
Eren exchanged an amused glance with Armin as they relaxed on the prickly grass in front of his residence hall. September was always impossibly fucking hot, but  _ this  _ particular September seemed to have something to prove, making anything but the least amount of movement possible ideal. 

"No, no, from  _ this _ angle. Perfect!"

Eren accidentally let a laugh slip past his lips and sighed in disbelief,

"Dude it's  _ just _ a tree."

Said 'dude' was Connie, one of Armin's suite-mates, who was forcing his hapless roommate Bert to take his picture in front of the polarizing palm. Armin's roommate Jean was sprawled out in the shade of said tree tossing a baseball in the air, his Jacksonville accent making the statement funnier than it should have been,

"It's not a tree to these Yanks, boys it's a lifestyle."

Eren snorted, losing it completely and collapsing on the grass in a fit of chuckles. Nobody had been more surprised than Armin when he received the letter stating his campus residence information (he had no idea he wouldn't be commuting with Eren and Gramps had  _ forgotten _ to mention that bit of information.) At first Eren was disappointed, but in the end, it gave him more excuses to not be at home (which was a must these days). It also encouraged him to be more social; he had met a bunch of decently cool people through Armin (their obsession with trees notwithstanding). 

Jean, Connie, and Bert were welcome additions to their friend group. Jean was probably Eren's favorite so far. He was a business major like Armin and had an absolutely hilarious sense of humor when he wasn't being pedantic and intense about his classes. Connie and Bert were both northerners; Bert was from Pennsylvania and had spoken about 2 words in the month since they all started school; Connie was from New Jersey and spoke enough for both of them.

Connie snatched his phone back and typed something quickly. 

"...and  _ posted _ . This is not just a tree. It's a PALM TREE. I live  _ next to a fuckin _ palm tree!" 

"A cabbage palm to be exact."

Connie pocketed his phone.

"Sasha!"

The guys looked over to see two brunettes crossing the grass. Both sporting bouncy pony-tails. The one who had spoken was the shorter of the two. Both had a dusting of freckles across their noses, but other than that, they looked nothing alike. Sasha was slight and cute, with blunt cut bangs and wide, innocent eyes. Another Miami native, she had gone to HML as well and had always been friendly, even if they hadn't really run with the same crowd. She and Armin ran into each other at their dorm orientation, fellow natives, naturally clustering for safety in numbers in this new environment.

Sasha's roommate Ymir was tall and lean, her taut muscular build reminiscent to Eren of Mikasa Ackerman's. She wore her bangs long and split down the middle, brushing the corners of her elegantly upturned dark blue eyes. She wasn't exactly quiet, but she was quieter than Sasha, speaking in her slow, thick Louisiana accent when the conversation called for it. Eren got the vibe that she was queer, but had yet to find the opportunity to see if they had this in common.

Sasha giggled at Connie's greeting and batted her eyelashes, the only one of them that risked his northern wrath by using his full name.

"Hey, Constanzo."

Connie narrowed his eyes and they sparked with mischief.

"All right then,  _ Aleksandra." _

He trilled his "r" in a fake Russian accent that set both Sasha and Ymir giggling.

"Only my  _ babushka _ * calls me Aleksandra!"

"Well only my  _ nona*  _ calls me Constanzo."

Sasha blushed.

"Point taken."

Unlike the other Floridians, Sasha seemed to have endless patience with the 'foreign' students' obsession with the local flora and fauna. Or maybe she just had endless patience for anything that had to do with Connie…The girls settled on the grass and Ymir spoke up, her southern drawl more pronounced than Jean's.

"What're ya'll up to out here? Done wi' class for the day?"

Armin nodded. Eren watched them interact curiously. Ymir was just Armin's type, and Eren was surprised to see his friend not even react to the girl's presence. He was glad Krista seemed to have locked him down. About time someone did.

"Yeah we're all done. Trying to figure out what to do with our lazy asses."

Jean sat up and tossed the ball to Bert who caught it smoothly and tossed it back as though they had somehow planned the exchange.

"We could try an early dinner and then the Grove?"

Sasha shook her head.

"Dining hall won't start serving for another two hours. I don't have enough cash to eat off campus."

Eren smiled to himself. He had never met anyone who ate more or thought more about food than Sasha, for all that she seemed to sustain about zero percent body fat. He was mildly surprised that she wasn't actually eating something at the moment. He chuckled under his breath when Connie pulled a mostly unrelated snickers out of his bag and help it out to her with a wink. She plucked it from his fingers with a gasp of delight and unwrapped it, giggling as the warm chocolate coated her lips. Connie sure knew what he was doing.

Eren's good natured laugh drew the group's attention his way.

"What about you, E? Aren't you usually gone by now? Or are you hanging with us tonight?"

Eren checked his phone. Jean wasn't wrong that Eren tended to vanish around this time every day. Not seeing Levi regularly the first two weeks of classes had taken a toll on both of them so Eren started leaving campus right after his last class a few days a week to drop by Levi's office. They quickly realized this was an impractical system that left Eren sitting in traffic for up to an hour sometimes. It was also getting difficult to come up with reasons why he was dropping by so often. Not that they were necessarily keeping their relationship a secret, but the less office gossip, the better (especially for his mom's sake).

Since campus was about ten minutes from the Ackerman Estate they decided on a compromise; A few days a week Levi would do half days at the office and the other half at home. He would still be working, but at least they would get to have dinner together and Eren could spend the night. Lately Eren had been going to the house just to study or hang out even if he knew Levi wouldn't be home. It made him feel good to be in the home Levi had built, pretending quietly like he belonged in his world. It also provided occasional opportunities to hang out with Mikasa who had started to grudgingly accept him. He learned a lot about his boyfriend by getting to know the woman he had raised from infancy.

He had spoken vaguely to the others about the fact that he had a boyfriend, but otherwise kept his business to himself. Armin had surprised him by respecting his privacy.

"Ah I was actually gonna go soon."

Sasha perked up, licking some chocolate remnants off her fingertips to Connie's rapt interest.

"Hey wait, no, why don't we take these guys to the Venetian? You guys have active passes right?"

Armin shook his head.

"They're closed until next week. Someone saw a gator in the grotto."

Connie gasped, still fascinated by anything that had to do with gators. 

"Wait,  _ gators _ like, an  _ alligator in the pool?  _ Can we go anyway?

Armin rolled his eyes, leaving Sasha to explain why that was absolutely out of the question and continued, slanting a mischievous glance at Eren.

"If  _ only _ we knew someone who had a private pool  _ and _ personal chef…"

Connie looked back and forth between them, distracted from his disappointment.

"Hey man, you been holding out on us?"

Eren sighed. Levi had told him a dozen times that he was welcome to bring friends around whenever he wanted, even if he wasn't home. He had even given him a key, though since he knew the gate code and the place was only ever locked at night, he never used it. He couldn't remember if Levi was working from home today or not and didn't want to disturb him just to ask. He had been busy the last few days and forced to cancel on Eren twice due to meetings at the office.

Still, it might be fun…

"Uhm...it's not  _ my _ place, it's my boyfriend's. He lives in Biscayne."

Sasha's eyes popped wide. 

" _ Biscayne _ ?"

The "foreigners" exchanged confused glances. Even Jean looked puzzled. Connie was the one who followed up.

"Are we supposed to know what that is?"

Sasha answered him,

"Key Biscayne. Only one of the most  _ expensive _ addresses in Miami."

Connie shrugged. 

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

"I don't know guys…"

Armin leaned over and batted his eyelashes grotesquely.

"Come on, Eren, just this once."

"Yeah, Eren come on."

Eren gave in with a smile. 

"All right, all right. Anybody else have a car?"

° ☆ °

The sun sparkled over the water of Biscayne Bay as Eren drove over the bridge onto the Key. Since he was the only one with a car they had to do some fancy maneuvering, but after a quick run inside to drop their books and grab swimsuits, had eventually managed to squeeze Jean and Connie into the backseat with the girls balanced on top of them. Poor Bert's 6'4" frame was folded into the hatchback. Armin had unapologetically called shotgun immediately, shrugging off the other's protests that him knowing what Eren's car looked like gave him an unfair advantage. 

Their lively conversation morphed into hushed silence as they wended their way through what were obviously multi-million dollar estates. They pulled up in front of the gate and Eren punched in the code. As they waited for it to slide back into the thick hedges, Jean intoned,

"Uh, Yeager, what did you say your boyfriend does again?"

Eren pulled up to the house, trying not to feel too self-conscious.

"He owns a business." 

They piled out of the car and the girls ran up the steps excitedly. Connie whistled.

"Like the way a drug lord 'owns a business'?"

Eren snickered, remembering thinking something similar the first time he had seen the house. 

"Nah dude, a legitimate business. Come on in."

They passed through the entryway in a commotion of loud exclamations of excitement. Eren slid a glance to the table in the entryway and felt his heart thump with excitement. Before they left Cocoa Beach, Eren had plucked a small silver surfboard keychain off the register at the hotel gift shop and bought it for him, insisting that he buy him his first surfboard now that he was a fully fledged fan of the sport. Levi had put it directly on his keys and Eren hadn't seen him without it since.

When Levi was home he left his keys in a little dish by the door. As if to welcome him home, the shiny silver oval winked at him in the light.

"Seriously, Eren, who is your boyfriend?"

The others had followed Armin through to the back and out onto the patio where they stood loudly admiring the olympic sized swimming pool, resort style deck, and water features. Eren turned to Jean and smiled.

"He's home, come on I'll introduce you."

° ☆ °

"No. I said  _ no _ , Erwin and that's final. Hanji is taking the lead on this and I have to agree with her, I don't care what Annie told you. The Leonhardts look out for themselves, I am  _ not _ risking this merge. Especially with how close we are to roll out…"

Hanji and Erwin resumed their chatter on the other end of the line and Levi felt the vein in his forehead pulse uncomfortably. Erwin was an innovative developer and the closest thing he had to a best friend, but the guy's business sense was up his ass and around the corner.

A commotion in the entryway distracted his attention and, desperate to ignore the argument in his conference call, he got up from his chair and ambled around to the front of his desk to peer out his office door. Isabel would have called if she was coming and Mikasa's friends were usually too boring to make the kind of joyful noise that was currently flowing through his house and out onto the patio. Which could only mean...

" _ Seriously, Eren, who is your boyfriend _ ?"

Levi had a bare instant to prepare himself for hearing the music of his lover's voice.

" _ He's home, come on, I'll introduce you. _ "

Levi settled back against his desk comfortably and raised his finger to his lips as Eren tentatively pushed his door open the rest of the way and popped in, towing a tall sandy-brown haired boy behind him. 

"My decision is final. We can reevaluate the exchange after the release. If we're done...yes ...okay ….mind your own business four eyes."

Eren waited patiently while he finished the call, finally pulling the bluetooth out of his ear and setting it down next to him. He held out his hand in a beckoning gesture and Eren was by his side immediately, arms around his shoulders in a side hug. Levi felt his earlier irritation drain out of his body as he soaked in his boyfriend's appearance. His outfit wasn't particularly remarkable, a pair of tan cargo shorts and an artfully faded blue t-shirt with surfboards on it, but he could have been dressed in literal rags and Levi would have still thought he was the most beautiful creature on this earth. Eren leaned in and gave him a light peck. It wasn't nearly enough but that's all he got. 

"Jean, this is my boyfriend Levi-"

" _ Ackerman _ ."

Levi glanced at the other boy in mild surprise, having completely forgotten someone else was in the room. He stood in abject shock, staring at Levi as though he was some kind of mystical unicorn.

"Levi Ackerman. Y-your dating  _ Levi Ackerman _ . You're Levi Ackerman."

Levi frowned and spoke to Eren under his breath,

"Is he always like this?"

From Eren's bemused expression he guessed probably not. He tentatively held his hand out to the other man who took it reverently.

"Levi-"

"Ackerman! Founder and CEO of UnderGround Media Entertainment Communications. It is an  _ honor _ to meet you, sir."

Levi blinked. The young man still hadn't let go of his hand.

"Well now that I know who I am, maybe you could introduce yourself?"

The kid blushed a bright crimson, but recovered quickly.

"Right, Jean. Jean Kirschtein from Jacksonville, sir. I, I am a  _ huge _ fan, sir. I came to Miami in hopes of one day working for U.MEC."

"It's nice to meet you, Jean. My hand, please?"

Jean's eyes shot wide and he retracted his hand guiltily.

"S-sorry, sir." 

"Jean! Eren?"

A young woman with dark blue eyes and brown hair pulled back into a pony tail walked past the office. Eren called her in.

"In here. Ymir, this is Levi. Levi, Ymir."

The woman smiled at him displaying effortless Southern charm.

"Why I'm pleased to meet you Levi, you have a lovely home. We were wonderin where ya'll went off to. It's alright if we use the pool?"

Eren cast a beseeching glance in his direction. 

"Of course, there are towels and extra suits in the pool house." 

Recognizing a dismissal when she saw one, Ymir linked her arm around Jean's and physically pulled him from the office. Before they were out of earshot they heard him babbling excitedly. 

"I can't believe I just met  _ Levi Ackerman _ . He shook my hand. I'm never washing this hand again-"

Eren snorted and bounced over to the door to shut it before launching himself back into Levi's arms.

"I think you have a fan."

Levi breathed him in, 

"I'd prefer a kiss."

Eren obliged, nuzzled him adorably before picking up where his peck left off. He tasted like coconut lip balm and cherry Pepsi. Levi sucked on his tongue and held him tightly enough to pull him off his feet. When he finally broke the kiss Eren's eyes were glazed and glassy. 

"Hey."

Chocolate brown eyelashes fluttered at him. 

Hey yourself, bright eyes."

Eren slid his head to the side and kissed his cheek sweetly while the hand against his chest shamelessly groped his pecs through the material of his white button down shirt.

"I've missed you, daddy."

Levi grit his teeth. It would be a  _ terrible _ idea to push Eren down and fuck him across his desk right now with God-knows-how-many other people in the house. Well maybe just a quickie…

The phone rang, jolting them out of the moment. Eren backed off and Levi reluctantly let him go as he picked up the receiver.

"Ackerman. Tom, I'm glad you called. hang on a minute, will you?"

He muted the call and smiled ruefully at his boyfriend.

"I have to take this, baby."

Eren nodded, looking so dejected he wanted to pull him into his arms and never let go.

"I'm sorry for bringing people over without letting you know. Should we go?"

Levi shook his head. He had told Eren he could use the house and was glad the brat was finally feeling comfortable enough to do so, no way he would make him feel guilty for that.

"No, no. Go and have fun with your friends. Let Carmen know everyone will be staying for dinner."

Eren brightened immediately. The simple joy in his eyes made Levi's chest ache. 

"Will you come out?"

Levi pressed his lips together. A month ago he would have scoffed at the idea of finishing work early so he could relax by the pool. Now, he couldn't imagine a better use of his time.

"We'll see. I have to finish up some work first."

Eren nodded, a satisfied smile quirking his lips. He dithered for a moment and then popped forward again moving his lips against Levi's in a lightening quick attack that made his heart stutter. He took the phone off mute and watched Eren disappear around the doorway, glancing back and blowing another kiss before he was out of sight. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *babushka and nona both mean grandmother, the former in Russian, the latter in Italian. Sasha is the nickname for Russian girls named Aleksandra.  
> ♡DiLo


	22. A Fly In The Lemonade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren discovers he has a bit of a jealous streak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please see the end of the chapter for translations and notes. ♡DiLo

Eren skipped out of Levi's office and swung around into the kitchen where Carmen was already blending frozen lemonade and putting together a fruit platter for the impromptu pool party. 

"Buenas tardes señora, lamento molestarla. Mis amigos y yo iremos a cenar esta noche. Hay siete de nosotros todos juntos."*¹

He smiled sheepishly, but Carmen only huffed at him good naturedly.

"Este buen chico viene a contarme sobre la fiesta en mi patio trasero. No hay problema cariño. Ve a tus amigos."*²

Eren laughed and kissed the older woman on the cheek. He genuinely liked the members of the Vega family he had met so far and the feeling seemed to be mutual. Carmen stopped him before he could leave. 

"Mi hijo estaba limpiando la piscina antes de que llegaras aquí. Envíalo por estas bebidas, por favor."*³

"Claro."*⁴

Eren made his way down to the pool where his friends greeted him with cheers and ' _ you da man _ 's. Everyone was in a different pose of relaxation and enjoyment. Armin was lounging on a pool float and Sasha and Connie were sitting with their feet dangling in the water. Bert and Ymir had found a volleyball and were smacking it aggressively back and forth over Armin who was doing his best to completely ignore them.

The late afternoon was spectacular. The house glittered like a jewel behind them and the blue waters of the bay sloshed cheerfully against the dock across the vibrant green lawn where Levi's boat was moored.

He ran into Jean in the pool house who had just changed into his bathing suit. He pulled Eren behind the rack of folded towels and gestured toward the other side of the pool with his chin.

"Eren,  _ who _ is  _ that _ ?"

Eren looked around the towel rack to see who  _ that _ was supposed to be. Judging by the fact that the man on the opposite side of the pool was stowing a net and some rods in a low shed, Eren guessed it was Carmen's son, whom he had yet to meet. The man was wearing a pair of swim trunks and a loose sleeveless t-shirt that looked like it had seen better days. The body  _ underneath _ that shirt though, was having a pretty good day itself. His skin was a dark golden brown and rippled with muscle that spoke of hard work and sweat equity. His shoulders were broad without being bulky and a line of dampness down his spine drew the eye to his magnificent ass. 

Eren allowed himself strictly one moment of objective appreciation before he became so overcome by a violent bout of jealousy he couldn't even breath.  _ This _ is what Levi kept around the house? Eren tried to calm down, aware that Jean was waiting for him to answer. His eyes were rapt on the interloper though, still holding out hope that maybe when he turned around he would be completely busted.

His hopes were summarily dashed when the young man turned and jogged over to the pool house in an effortless lope. He had a strong jaw and full lips and his brown hair fell over cinnamon colored-eyes. He would have looked harsh, but for the liberal dusting of freckles across the bridge of his nose and the friendly, open expression on his face. A large cross on a leather chain thumped against his chest as he halted beside them.

He grabbed a towel from the rack and in doing so, the three men found themselves face to face. Jean pulled his hands back from Eren's shoulders as though he had burst into flame. The young man smiled and tossed his head in a way that instantly set Eren's gay-dar blaring. It did not dispose him toward friendliness.

"Oye, tu madre te busca en la cocina."*⁵

The man paused and his open face broke into a friendly smile. If he noticed anything off in Eren's tone he didn't act like it. He slung the towel over his shoulder and answered in English. His Cuban accent wasn't as thick as his mother's but it still curled and dipped around his consonants making entirely innocuous words sound ridiculously flirtatious. 

"Eh thanks. I was on my way in anyway. You must be Eren. Mamá is in love with you, she cannot stop talking about Mr. Levi's  _ amante* _ . Ah sorry, I'm Marco." 

Eren tried to swallow the bile in his throat and be civil. The best he could do was bare his teeth at the man. Marco turned to Jean who stuck his hand out.

"Jean Kirschstein. Nice to meet you."

"Marco Vega. The pleasure is mine."

Jean smiled, clearly smitten.

"Ah you work here?"

Marco shook his head.

"Sort of, not really. My parents live here and do the domestic things for Mr. Levi. I used to live here too but now I am too busy with school. I come to help my papá now and then. He  _ hates _ the pool."

Jean smiled. Really it was impossible not to smile. Marco was so  _ fucking sweet _ . Eren felt like throwing up. The way Marco said  _ Mr. Levi  _ made Eren want to knock his teeth out.

"Where are you in school?"

"I am a junior at U Miami. PreMed. Microbiology and Immunology."

Eren could practically see Jean's irises morphing into little heart shapes. Marco was a fucking eleven out of ten. How could it be that Levi even  _ looked twice  _ at him when he had  _ this _ walking around at home?

"Ah sorry, I have to go inside, probably to bring some drinks."

Jean was by his side in an instant, turning his southern charm on full blast.

"I'd be happy to help."

Marco smiled at him and the two walked off toward the house chatting airily, leaving Eren to wallow. He wandered out of the pool house completely forgetting that he had gone inside to change. He didn't much feel like swimming anyway. He kicked off his shoes and joined his friends poolside, dangling his feet in the water. He put up a decent show of interacting with everyone, but in reality he was solidly in his head. 

Somehow, as he and Levi grew closer, he became more and more insecure. Lately that insecurity had been manifesting itself in violent, consuming flares of jealousy. Eren knew it was irrational; Levi had never given him any cause for discomfort. Like earlier in the afternoon with Jean, Levi didn't seem to pay attention to anyone else when they were together, but his boyfriend's apparent fidelity didn't seem to affect his feelings. He and Levi were texting just as much as before, but were seeing each other less since he actually had school now, which meant they were also having sex less. Not that their sex life wasn't impressive, but going from being intimate a few times a  _ day _ to a few times a  _ week _ left Eren worried that what they were doing just wouldn't be enough to hold his boyfriend's interest. 

He felt horribly disloyal to even think it, but the intensity of Levi's sex drive scared him to fucking death. He couldn't shake the fear that if he was the type to sleep with his secretary he might not have the greatest impulse control when it came to sex. He knew deep down that it was his own insecurities dripping poison through his mind, but he was powerless to stop it.

Being back at school and out of the 'workforce' no matter how temporarily he had been there, made him feel like a useless kid all over again. He wasn't adjusting to college with Armin's effortless ease. He had never been terribly interested in school and his freshman coursework was much more difficult than he was expecting. 

There just wasn't enough time for school, commuting, a boyfriend,  _ and _ surfing (especially if he was going to be competition ready in October.) He felt like he was hanging ten on his surfboard every single day of his life and if he lost his focus for a second he would be pounded. He felt like everything good that had happened to him that summer had come so effortlessly that it could disappear just as quickly. 

Eren brooded silently through the late afternoon, only lightening up again when Armin threatened to pull him into the pool, but his abstraction returned in the evening. Levi finally joined them, but Jean had convinced Marco to eat with them and Levi didn't have an issue with it so Eren had to deal with his jealousy gnawing at him literally all through dinner. It didn't help that Jean monopolized Levi for nearly the entire meal, determined to prove that he could keep up an intelligent conversation and not just repeat his name over and over again like a  _ Levi Ackerman  _ Pokemon.

Levi seemed interested in the conversation and unlike his interaction with Jean in his office was actually paying attention to the younger man. Jean was leaning forward and speaking to Levi with a quiet intensity.

"How do you balance the company's philanthropies without them becoming too personal? I know your own charitable causes made a big splash...I think it's amazing that you were so unapologetic about supporting LGBTQ causes. Is...is true you were  _ there _ that night?"

Eren perked up, confused about what Jean was referring to, but it was clear that Levi knew because he took a sip of his drink and shifted uncomfortably. 

"I was there." 

When he didn't elaborate, Jean turned to a confused looking Sasha and said,

"Pulse."*⁶

Eren felt the blood drain drain out of his face. The nightclub shooting had happened in his freshman year of high school and had been traumatizing to even watch on the news. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to  _ be _ there. He couldn't hold the question back.

"What were you doing in Orlando?"

Levi took another sip of his drink, the ice cubes clacking loudly against one another in the ensuing silence. 

"We were entertaining some of our out-of-town clients. They had never been to Disney so we went up for a few days. It was pure coincidence. I honestly can't say I remember much. Everything happened so fast. I was lucky to get out alive."

Levi shifted again, clearly trying to lighten the mood. 

"Anyway, it's never been easy to be  _ out _ . If I can serve as a positive example then I have to do my part whether it's politically correct or not."

If Jean had been enamoured of Levi before, now the hero worship shining from his eyes was sycophantic. The conversation lulled during dessert and Sasha sat forward.

"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Levi. Everything was amazing."

Levi had insisted the kids call him by his first name, saying being called  _ Mr. Ackerman  _ all the time made him feel like he was at work. He acknowledged her with a nod.

"You guys are welcome back with Eren any time." 

Ymir checked her watch.

"My, look at the time! We have to be heading back soon, Eren."

Eren nodded sheepishly. 

"Actually I was thinking about staying. Maybe you could drive, Armin?"

Armin, who had been texting in his lap- probably with Krista- was about to respond when Marco shifted. He was speaking to the table, but somehow Eren felt like he was only really talking to Jean.

"I'm actually heading back to campus. I could give you guys a ride?" 

In the end, the whole crew piled into the bed of Marco's F-150, except for Jean who, unsurprisingly, called shotgun. Eren saw them out and returned to the house. Sagging against the door, exhausted but relieved to finally be alone with his boyfriend. He didn't mind inviting his friends over, but he wasn't used to sharing Levi with  _ anyone _ to this extent. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translations:  
> ¹  
> Good afternoon ma'am, I'm sorry to bother you. My friends and I are staying for dinner tonight. There are seven of us all together.  
> ²  
> This good boy comes to tell me about the party in my backyard. No problem honey. Go to your friends  
> ³  
> My son was cleaning the pool before you got here. Send him in for these drinks, please.  
> ⁴  
> Sure  
> ⁵  
> Hey, your mother is looking for you in the kitchen.  
> *Amante - lover  
> •°☆°•  
> ⁶  
> The tragedy at Pulse nightclub on June 12, 2016 was the single deadliest attack on LGBTQ people in US history. 49 innocent people lost their lives. The hatred and evil in this world can make living your truth a matter of life and death for some, as it did that night. I remember learning of the attack on the news the next day and feeling the stark unreality and deep fear that accompanies such a senseless act of violence. I hope now, as I did then, that those 49 souls have found peace and that they are in a better place. I hope their families and loved ones have found the strength to go on.  
> To learn more about the shooting go to:  
> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_nightclub_shooting  
> ♡DiLo


	23. Defiance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren messes up.

Jealousy and insecurity made Eren feel edgy and aggressive. He prowled through the house and found Levi in his office standing on the wrong side of his desk shuffling papers around. Conflicting feelings warred within him. He knew he should sit down and talk to Levi, explain what was troubling him so they could hash it out like mature adults, but Eren was ashamed of his feelings and consumed by fear that there could even be the tiniest possibility his insecurities were warranted. 

The only thing he knew for certain was that he  _ needed _ Levi and every moment longer he spent without their bodies touching was wasted. He walked up behind the older man and pressed against him, feeling his body through his clothes. When he failed to react, Eren pushed it, leaning down to kiss Levi's neck and massage his crotch. Levi did react then, shifting slightly.

"Eren, give me a minute."

But Eren wasn't listening. He kneaded him aggressively despite the fact that he wasn't getting hard and closed his teeth around Levi's earlobe. The reaction was less vague this time, Levi tried to shrug out from under his grasp.

"Eren, stop."

But urgency, need, and desperation had all crashed down on Eren at once. He forcefully turned Levi around to face him,

" _ No _ ."

And had exactly three seconds to realize he fucked up before he was shoved a good arm's length away. 

"The  _ fuck _ did you just say to me?"

Color raced across Eren's cheeks and humiliated tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. He wanted to say he was sorry and beg Levi to forgive him for blatantly ignoring his wishes but all he felt was the rejection of being pushed away. His voice was shaking when he squared off against his boyfriend, 

"I see how it is!"

Levi shook his head.

"What?"

"It had to be weird having dinner with  _ both _ of us! I'm sorry you sent the wrong one home."

Levi scowled at him, momentarily distracted from his irritation.

"What the hell are you going on about?"

"Marco,  _ obviously _ ."

Eren wrapped his arms around himself, positive he was going to shake apart as he destroyed everything good in his life. He walked past Levi to the dark windows feeling completely defeated.

"Who?"

" _ Doctor _ Marco, the handsome pool boy with a porn-star ass."

Eren didn't turn around. He didn't want to see the recognition spark in Levi's eyes. 

"Vega? Why would it be weird to have dinner with him? I've had dinner with him a thousand times."

Eren hung his head.

"I  _ knew _ it."

The irritation was back in Levi's voice now.

"Knew  _ what _ ?"

Eren whirled around, practically choking in frustration.

"You're gonna make me say it?  _ Fine _ . You're obviously sleeping with him."

Levi ignored that, dismissing it with a frustrated hand gesture.

"What on earth would make you think I was interested in the pool boy?"

"Well I don't know, you've been sleeping with your secretary for three months. Why would anybody think you'd be interested in  _ me _ ?"

Levi blinked, completely taken aback. The tears wouldn't stop spilling down Eren's cheeks now. Levi was so taken by surprise that his face actually showed the confusion he was feeling. His voice wasn't exactly gentle but it was softer than before.

"Eren. You are the only person I've slept with since June. We're in a relationship."

"B-but you  _ have _ -"

"Enough about Marco, Eren. I've known him since he was a  _ kid _ . It has never even crossed my mind. The Vegas are family. Sleeping with him would be... _ wrong _ ." 

Eren sniffled miserably. 

"W-w-wronger than sleeping with me?" 

Eren almost fainted when he felt Levi's arms close around him.

"Eren, there is nothing wrong about this. Aside from occasional tantrums where you  _ act _ like a child, I don't even remotely see you that way. Where is all this coming from?"

Eren deflated and gripped at Levi's shirt like he was drowning. He knew what 'tantrums' Levi was referring to...the incident in Cocoa Beach and the night Levi had flown in from San Francisco. Both times Eren had been an out-of-control, emotional wreck and Levi had helped him through it. Of course his boyfriend would see this behavior as childish. It  _ was _ childish. 

"I-I've just been feeling s-so insecure lately. When I saw Marco...I think I went a little crazy."

Levi pushed him back. The rejection would have destroyed him if the older man hadn't kept a possessive grip on his shoulders. 

"Look at me, Eren.  _ Look _ at me. That's better. You seem to be confused about something and maybe that's my fault so I'm going to be completely clear. I have not so much as  _ looked _ at another man since the first time I saw you. Just  _ you _ . I have no interest in anyone else. And I hope you know that goes both ways, brat. You being surrounded by the best and the brightest of Miami everyday makes me nervous as hell. But I don't dwell on it, for one simple reason."

Eren blinked at him.

"What?"

"You're  _ mine _ , Eren. Have you forgotten that?"

Eren could barely breathe. Levi's possessiveness made his breath catch in his throat. The mood started to shift, but Eren still had to say one thing.

"B-but are you mine?"

Levi raised an eyebrow at him.

"Doesn't that go without saying?"

Eren sighed with relief and dried his tears, leaning into Levi to brush their lips together. It would have been natural for them to come together now, but Levi held him back firmly and Eren blinked, taking in the implacable mask the older man's features had become.

"Now that we have that settled, I believe there is another  _ misunderstanding _ that needs to be dealt with."

Levi's voice was soft but stern, like silk over steel. It sent a shiver racing down Eren's spine. 

"I know we have grown quite comfortable together, Eren, but there are certain things you need to understand I will  _ not _ tolerate from you."

Eren tried to keep his breathing steady as he stood facing Levi, but it was hard to focus. He felt raw and vulnerable, not to mention turned on by Levi's dominance. He could feel his cheeks heating up as Levi continued to stare at him. 

"Uhm. Uh-"

"I'm not going to blame you for being insecure Eren, we all have those moments. But can you think of anything you might have done that I would object to?"

Eren took a tiny step back and fell silent. He had been so distracted by his thoughts all afternoon…

"That I...uhm...accused you of sleeping with someone else?"

Levi pressed his lips together but his expression didn't change. 

"That certainly was not an enjoyable experience, but I understand your motivation. What else?"

Eren could feel the heat in his cheeks creep up his ears and down his neck. Suddenly he found Levi's shoes the most interesting thing in the room.

"I touched you after you asked me to wait."

"And?"

"And I said, 'no,'..."

Levi seemed to take a breath and it released the knot of tension that had squeezed into the center of Eren's chest. 

"It is important that you respect my boundaries, Eren, as I respect yours. I will  _ not _ tolerate otherwise. Saying no to me in that manner and in that context is unacceptable. Do you understand?"

Eren had been on the receiving end of lectures his whole life. Zeke and his mom played the most central role, but teachers, principals, and even actual police officers could be added to the list. All of them paled in comparison to the calm, bloodlessly impersonal reprimand he was currently receiving.

Eren waited for even a tiny rebellious impulse to rear within him, urging him to tell Levi to fuck the hell off and storm out of the office, but none came. Instantly, he was flooded with remorse. Levi had always been respectful of him. He had accepted Eren into his life and into his home, given him access to his family on the basis of trust and affection. He was consistently attentive and adoring. 

The thought of what Eren had done and said flooded him with shame. He hadn't meant to displease Levi. Even though his boyfriend treated him as an equal in their relationship, Eren was quite aware of his place in the grand scheme of things. Far from resenting it, it was something he craved; Levi's dominance made him feel secure. He didn't have to swallow a snippy reply because none sprang to his lips. Eren's shoulders slumped.

"I-I understand. I'm so sorry, I wasn't thinking."

Eren lifted his head enough to see Levi's features softening just slightly. 

"I don't want to have this conversation again, Eren."

He shook his head. 

"No sir, me neither."

Levi's head cocked to the side.

"I'm sir now, eh?"

Eren couldn't possibly blush harder than he was already blushing.

"It seemed appropriate…"

Eren continued standing rigidly, even as Levi relaxed his posture. 

"Can I...uhm...can I-"

Levi leaned against his desk and beckoned Eren forward. He came readily and settled into Levi's open arms. Levi stroked the nape of his neck but didn't move to kiss him. 

"Do you think we are just going to kiss and make up, Eren?"

He had hoped so, but judging by Levi's tone he had something else in mind.

"No?"

Levi stroked the side of his face as he spoke.

"Even though we have cleared things up for the  _ future _ , there is still the matter of the  _ punishment _ for your disobedience tonight, baby. Judging by your mood, I think it might be just what you need."

The word punishment sent a tremor through Eren's body that rushed directly to his cock. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. He  _ more _ than wanted this. He  _ needed _ this. He needed Levi to put him securely in his place. It was where he felt happiest. He needed to just relax and let everything go. Levi would take care of him. He always did. 

"If that sounds reasonable to you, there is something I'd like you to pull out of my bottom drawer."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Eren, baby...you are about to get fucked.  
> ♡DiLo


	24. Punishment [R-18 BDSM Smut Warning]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi takes discipline very seriously.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoying That One Summer? Don't forget to smash that Star!  
> ⭐ + 📝 + 📢  
> ♡DiLo

Levi sat on the couch in his office, fully clothed, his legs spread wide, to give Eren a full perfect view of him from where he knelt on the floor. They had been silent for several minutes as Eren looked at his new 'gift' and Levi was glad for the moment to master his emotions. He had genuinely not had any idea that Eren was feeling so tortured lately. He took the fact that he had neglected the other man,  _ personally _ , he should have been paying closer attention. His boyfriend was such a complete package, it was easy to forget that Eren was still so inexperienced at life. Levi could forgive that and be a patient teacher, but that didn't erase his feelings regarding the  _ rest _ of their encounter. 

Levi had never been accused of cheating before because he had never been in a  _ position _ to be accused. He had no intention of being unfaithful to Eren and it stung to think that at some point he might have been vague in  _ any _ way about the nature of his feelings to make Eren doubt him. He hadn't told him he loved him yet, not beyond that night where he had whispered it, high on endorphins into his sleeping boyfriend's hair. Levi was relieved when Eren hadn't mentioned it again. He wasn't quite ready to go there yet in the full light of day.

Levi wanted to laugh at himself, but the muscles in his face barely twitched. For all the differences in experience between them, he and Eren were probably perfectly matched in matters of the heart. Levi was in uncharted waters now, just as unsure as his jittery teenaged boyfriend. 

What he wasn't unsure about was how fucking enraged he had felt when Eren became sexually aggressive with him. He didn't think anything about this gorgeous boy could turn him off, but that had done it. Eager and lustful he could deal with, aggressive and dominant were a  _ hard _ no. Eren had never shown the slightest desire to subjugate him or even turn power bottom. It landed completely outside their typical dynamic and he didn't like it.

He was willing to chalk it up to his boyfriend's emotional distress, but he had  _ no _ intention of letting him get away with it more than this once.  _ He _ was in control here. Eren would acknowledge that and they would move forward, or this evening would end in a very different kind of discussion. The thought of  _ that _ caused an ache to spread in Levi's chest that he was loathe to identify, but this was non-negotiable for him. Luckily, it didn't seem like it would come to that. The bubbling disquiet he felt was somewhat soothed by Eren's current demeanor. He sat on his knees, much subdued after his earlier outburst, turning the thin, leather riding crop over and over in his hands. 

Just seeing him this way, shoulders slumped, hair messy, cheeks flushed and blotchy from crying, made Levi's pants tighten. He wasn't a sadist, it wouldn't have turned him on if he didn't think this was  _ exactly _ what Eren wanted, but his inner Dom was howling in triumph just the same. 

Eren was beautiful.  _ Really _ beautiful, whether he was dressed smartly for work, or tumbling out of the ocean waves, or looking like he had been through the spin cycle of a washing machine, rumpled and unfortunate. 

"What do you think of it?"

Eren's turquoise eyes flashed to him, his thick chocolate colored lashes still moist and stuck together from his tears. His voice was hoarse and low.

"I...I don't really know. Will it hurt?"

Levi couldn't tell from Eren's tone if he wanted the answer to be yes or no.

"Come closer."

Eren shuffled forward until he was settled between Levi's legs but didn't move to touch or lean against him. Eren was being careful now, hyper aware of his and Levi's personal space. Levi leaned forward and took the crop from his hand bending it and twisting the buttery soft leather fold at the tip to get a feel for it in his hands. 

"Put out your palm."

Eren obeyed silently, eyes wide. Levi watched him closely as he pulled back the crop and let it whip forward to crack across Eren's open palm. The younger man flinched at the loudness in the quiet room but didn't pull his hand away. His breathing became shallow and his pupils dilated as the thin red strip appeared on his skin. Levi knew what he was feeling- the nervous excitement, the slight twinge of fear, the pleasant tingle of blood under the abused skin, the relief that it wasn't as bad as you were expecting. 

"Use your words, baby."

Eren swallowed audibly and looked up at him again, his eyes already glazing over. It was so fucking gorgeous Levi felt his cock twitch. His voice was whisper soft.

"I like it."

Levi chuckled darkly and leaned forward, taking Eren's chin in his hand.

"I thought you might."

He kissed him slowly, savoring the feel and taste of his lips, mouth, and tongue. Eren let out a low whimper but kept still, disciplined by his earlier outburst. He was pliant in Levi's hands and it caused a rush of affection to overtake the older man that he struggled to keep in check. He knew Eren was sorry for how he behaved, but he couldn't hold back now. Some lessons needed to be taught through to the end. 

He broke the kiss and sat back, rolling the crop in his fingers.

"Strip."

Eren went to rise but Levi tapped his shoulder with the leather edge.

"I didn't say you could get up."

Eren whined low in this throat, completely involuntarily, and slipped his shirt over his head. Levi pressed his lips together, drinking it in. He was weak for this body. The smooth, taut muscles that moved under his vibrant golden skin. The thought that he could even entertain the possibility of sleeping with somebody else was ludicrous. Nobody else even existed but  _ his _ Eren. 

Eren sat up slightly to unbuckle his belt and push his shorts down. His long, elegant cock sprang free and bobbed between his thighs, fully erect already and seeping precum. Levi wanted to lick him, to swallow him down and drink every drop of his pearly white liquid. He chanted promises to himself that he would have it all in due time. 

"Come here, baby."

Levi was in control of himself but he couldn't keep the gruffness out of his voice. Eren shuffled forward again and Levi stroked his face before digging his fingers through the younger man's hair and pulling him forward forcefully so the top of Eren's head was pressed against his abs and his face was in his lap. Eren gasped and buried his face against his clothed crotch the same way he had done that night in the Subaru when he had driven home from the beach. His voice was sharper than the crack of the crop.

" _ Be still _ ."

Eren froze immediately, waiting. Levi played with his hair for a moment, carding his fingers through its thickness and massaging Eren's scalp. He could feel Eren relaxing into him even as the younger man tried not to move. He drifted his hand lower, caressing the nape of his neck and let his fingers ghost down along his spine, up and back, dragging his nails lightly over the sensitive nerve-ridden path. Eren shuddered and shivered, moaning from the chills, the sounds soaking through Levi's skin. He could feel the humid dampness Eren's drool and heavy breaths were making against the material of his pants and shifted just slightly so he could press Eren's face against his straining length. 

Without warning he drew back the crop again and let it snap forward, its whistle through the air the only precursor to the sharp crack it made against Eren's flank. His boyfriend tensed and moaned and seemed to melt even more deeply into his lap. He didn't so much as twitch to pull away. Levi kept stroking him, running gentle tracks along his back as the crop snapped down. After counting out five strikes under his breath he switched hands, making sure Eren was evenly abused. The prone man choked and gasped in pleasure between his legs. He struggled and groaned but his voice was too muffled to be understood. Levi's eyes widened in surprise when he felt the wracking spasms of release roll through Eren's body. He could hear the sound of Eren's cum splattering against the leather couch. He turned Eren's face to the side and stroked his back.

"Did you need to say something, baby?"

Eren's voice sounded strangled.

"I-I...I'm sorry I couldn't hold it...I'm sorry…"

Levi's breath quickened as he felt the tears on Eren's cheek. He crooned to him softly.

"Shhhh, it's okay baby. You're such a good boy. Cumming so nicely like that when I didn't even touch you…"

Levi lifted his face so they could see each other's eyes. 

"Are you ready for more now, baby?" 

Eren gave him a stilted nod, so beautifully wrecked it gave him chills. Levi nudged him back and opened his pants, taking his time to scrape the zipper down. Eren's eyes were focused on his hands, his tongue involuntarily darting to his lips when Levi pulled himself free. He enjoyed the sight of the other man's anticipation for another moment before using the crop to caress his cheek. He bent its shaft around the back of Eren's neck and drew him down, pressing him forward. Eren obliged his silent command and fell on his cock like a ravenous beast. 

" _ Fuck _ ."

Levi tipped his head back and bit his lip, unable to control his immediate response to Eren's savage thirst. He sucked and slurped on him like he was starving, deep throating until he made himself choke, his throat constricting around the invading organ. Levi got his bearings with effort and rubbed Eren's nape again with his fingers, sliding the crop along his back. He slid it far enough down to press it in between Eren's cheeks, delighting in the sudden tension it created in his shoulders.

He braced himself for the reaction he knew would come and caressed small circles over the globe of Eren's ass check with the leather tip of the crop before snap it down again with a flick of his wrist. The response was electric. Eren tensed and moaned around him, the vibrations in his mouth and throat making Levi gasp and pull at the roots of his hair. He snapped the crop down again and again to the same result. Eren's eyes were tearing, practically sobbing over his cock, the soft vibrations pushing Levi so close to the edge he had to pull the crop back and grip the base of cock to keep from cumming down Eren's throat. He pulled Eren back by the roots of his hair, forced to abbreviate his plans. His own voice was none too steady.

"Enough. Get on my cock, now." 

Eren gasped again and clamored onto his lap, letting his shorts and boxers slide off his legs in his haste. Eren hadn't been properly prepped, but he was loose and relaxed and Levi's cock was dripping wet. He hovered over Levi's cock for a moment but the time for reticence was past. Levi gripped his ass, pulling his cheeks apart and guided him down, emitted a strangled moan of his own when Eren's tight sheath slid around him.

Eren's head tipped back, his eyes wide and lips slack as he panted. Levi felt Eren shake as he thickened inside him, his face too wrecked for Levi to control his body. He was sex personified at this moment, a fantasy come to life, sitting on his cock and moaning his name in breathless pants. As lovely as he was from this angle, Levi was too stirred up to be ridden. He moved them both, pressing Eren's back against the couch cushions. With one knee on the couch and his other leg on the floor he had the perfect leverage for deep, nasty strokes. 

Eren cried out and thrashed against the leather, urging him deeper, begging him to move faster. When Levi realized he was still tightly gripping the crop, he bent forward and shoved the handle into Eren's mouth, encouraging him to bite down on the wrapped leather. Hands now free, he unbuttoned his white dress shirt and draped it over the back of the couch before planting his palms on the younger man's thighs, and focused on his own pleasure; on the squeezing tightness and the friction and the delicious curling heat that surged through his body like a lava flow. 

He felt his impending release in a cascade and held it off, too intent on prolonging the inevitable. Eren was clamping down on him, slowing his thrusts, painting his own stomach with sticky ropes of cum from his second shattering orgasm. Levi pulled out halfway, playing 'just the head', letting the ridge of his cock tease and torture the spasming ring of muscle and sensitive skin of Eren's ass. Though the red streaks on his skin would fade before morning, their play tonight would leave a mark on his lover and he wanted to make sure it was tempered by some of the best sex of his life. 

Eren was incoherent with pleasure, his eyes glazed and glassy. Tears and sweat dripped down his cheeks. He bit his lip and arched his back on one of Levi's in-thrusts, sucking in his breath harshly. His body was reaching its limit and still his twitching fingers gripped the material of Levi's pants, holding him close. Levi felt his muscles strain as he slipped and slid into release, burying himself deeply and groaning Eren's name, over and over. 


	25. Reconciliation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which some tea gets spilled and Eren and Levi get closer.

Levi took a shuddering breath and rested his sweaty forehead against Eren's chest, still supporting his body, his arms planted on either side of Eren's shoulders. Pinned as he was, Eren could only wait as Levi got his breath and came down from his orgasm. He had cum  _ hard,  _ clearly extremely turned on by this particular type of play. Eren felt full and dazed, the usual flush of relief he always felt after sex with his boyfriend crowding his senses. He could stay like this forever, confident that he had been the reason for Levi's overwhelming pleasure. He craved that knowledge more than compliments and gifts and sex. 

Eren had just gotten his bearing enough to pry his fingers off Levi's khakis when the older man moved, sitting up and then collapsing back on the other end of the couch. 

" _ Shit _ . I'm getting too old for this."

Eren snorted as he sat up, feeling every muscle in his body scream in protest.

"That doesn't bode very well for me then, does it? Cause I can barely move."

Levi's eyes were closed but he smiled.

"Well we did establish that you're middle-aged..."

Eren giggled stupidly. He swiped his shirt off the floor and used it to contain the worst of the mess as he hobbled brokenly to the en-suit bathroom in Levi's office. His skin was tender and it was painful to sit, but he cleaned himself properly, feeling the sickening jolt of loneliness as the last proof of Levi's passion slid out of his body. He had never suffered from gender dysphoria, but a small part of him had started to mourn his male body's inability to preserve his boyfriend's seed and create life from it. 

He knew it was a ridiculous thought; first because Levi wouldn't want him if he was a woman (you know, being  _ gay _ and all), second, even if he transitioned it would be  _ highly _ unlikely that he could carry a child (which of course wouldn't be his technically speaking*), and third and most importantly- he was solidly cisgender in every other respect aside from this entirely fantastical desire. 

Eren shook his head and stood, tucking away his errant thoughts. He knew he was just reacting to that hollow feeling he always felt after a fight and wanted to be back with Levi as quickly as possible. The emptiness inside him was becoming more pronounced as his life became more stressful and a part of him wondered if he should say something about it. It had played a big role in his outburst earlier, and far from wishing to make excuses for his bad behavior, maybe he actually needed help. 

He reentered the office to find Levi reclining on the couch, his pants properly done up but shirt still off. Levi gestured to him with open arms. He stopped briefly to pull on his boxer briefs and then sank onto the couch, settling between Levi's legs, with his head propped on the older man's chest. He relaxed immediately, the strong, steady beat of his boyfriend's heart a pleasant counterpoint to their breathing. It was a comfortable position despite the hardness of his muscles. His skin was smooth and warm and Eren wondered, not for the first time, how Levi managed to stay completely hairless. Before he could ask Levi cut through his musing.

"How are you feeling, baby?"

Eren took a breath and assessed himself both physically and mentally. His insides were sore and his hips ached but the tingle in his skin had already subsided. The emptiness he felt in his chest had filled up again when he came in contact with Levi, like tidewater rushing in to the bank. 

"You might have to carry me upstairs, but I feel good."

Levi chuckled softly, his fingertips finding Eren's hair and stroking through its thickness. He hummed contentedly as they lay together, enjoying the afterglow. One of Levi's hands slipped down to his shoulder, tracing small circles there while the other continued to massage his scalp. 

"Eren...you know you can always talk to me about what's on your mind, right?"

Eren's eyes flashed open but he didn't stir. Levi must have felt him tense.

"Tonight wasn't like you at all, baby. You must have been bottling all of that up for some time and it... _ upsets _ me that you didn't tell me straight away when you started feeling that way."

Eren could tell that Levi was being careful with both his word choice and his tone. He wasn't being critical or chastening, he was just being a concerned boyfriend. It crumbled Eren's defenses. He responded without sitting up. He couldn't find it in him to move just then.

"I was. I'm sorry. It's just that I didn't want to bother you. You've been so busy with work and are already taking these half days just to see me. I didn't want to trouble you with my stupid insecurities…"

The circles on his shoulders turned into feather light strokes.

"Eren, I've told you how...important you are to me. That makes everything you have to say important too. Even if you think it's stupid. Insecurities may be unwarranted but that doesn't make them stupid. I don't want you just pretending to be happy because you think that's what I want."

Levi paused for a moment but then continued.

"You make me  _ so  _ happy, baby. Won't you let me return the favor?"

Eren felt a lump in his throat and tried to swallow it down. He didn't want to cry any more tonight than he already had, but really, Levi was absolutely fucking perfect.

"Thank you."

They sat for another few moments in silence before Levi spoke again.

"Is there anything else you want to mention now while the air is feeling very clear between us?"

Eren stirred and propped his chin up so he could look at Levi's face. 

"Uhm...not really...I guess, well...I know you said you haven't been with anyone since we started having sex, but what about before? Is there some jealous ex that's gonna show up at some point?"

Levi shook his head before Eren even finished his question.

"I'm not terribly proud of my...exploits...but you've probably had more relationships than I have. I'm not usually without companionship but until you, I counted any partner I'd slept with more than twice as my longest dalliance."

Eren couldn't keep the surprise off his face. 

"That's wow...uhm. Okay. Did you ever sleep with anyone at U.MEC?"

Levi peered down at him and smirked.

"Nope. Not until a saucy summer intern caught my eye."

Eren chuckled halfheartedly and shook his head.

"Don't believe me?"

"No, sorry it's not that, I just got kind of a vibe from Mr. Smith. Like there was history there."

Eren pressed his lips together tentatively hoping he didn't offend. He had sensed that there was something closer than friendship between the two men early on in the summer, but hadn't really entertained the thought until recently. It was probably just his imagination, but Eren didn't think so. Even if people weren't  _ together,  _ once you slept with someone it changed the way you interacted with them. That's how it had always been for him, anyway. He half expected Levi to laugh it off, but he didn't, his expression turning thoughtful. 

"You don't miss much, do you?"

Eren had no response for that so he stayed silent.

"Erwin and I have known each other for twenty years...he's always been straight and not at all lacking in female company. I didn't discuss my orientation back then...nobody did.. he found out when he came back to the dorm one night and I was balls deep in a kid I was tutoring."

He laughed at the memory and continued. Eren felt him shrug beneath him.

"He had always been the adventurous sort...he was interested to know what it was like to have sex with another man. There was enough attraction on my part to satisfy his curiosity."

Eren considered this. His voice was small but he had to know.

"Only the once?"

"We slept together a few times, here and there. Whenever he was in the mood, really. I'm not really into straight guys, they tend to be fucking selfish in bed,"

Levi snorted,

"You'd think  _ having  _ a dick would mean you know what to do with one, but it was sex so…"

He shrugged again.

"We haven't done anything since moving down to Florida. He got married shortly after and I don't do infidelity on  _ either _ side of that equation so it ended itself."

Eren's eyes rounded.

"Mr. Smith's  _ married _ ?"

Levi nodded grimly.

"Technically. Sort of. His marriage is bullshit. He married Frieda because of some kind of agreement between their families. I'll  _ never _ understand rich people. They managed to have two kids together before shit fell apart. They were fucking miserable before they agreed to go their separate ways. He's been with Annie for years now. I think he doesn't push Frieda for a divorce because Annie isn't the marrying kind."

Eren tried in vain to digest this bit of intrigue, resisting the urge to remind Levi that he was a multi-millionaire, even though he knew what he meant.

"Wow. That's so crazy. He has kids  _ and _ an open marriage."

Levi's face reflected exactly what he thought of that.

"Yeah. Like I said, I'll never understand rich people.  _ Or _ people who cheat. I try not to be a judgemental person, but the whole open marriage thing sounds really fucking distasteful to me. I could  _ never _ do it. I may be pretty inexperienced in relationships, but I'm down for exclusivity."

Eren felt warmth radiating out from the center of his chest. Of course Levi would feel that way. He grew up in a house with a philandering dad and a mother he idolized. Eren felt even worse for accusing him of cheating. He changed the subject slightly, picking another question that was floating around his mind.

"So when you and Erwin...I mean Mr. Smith...you know...did  _ it _ ...was he...I mean did you…?"

Levi chuckled again.

"You can ask me who topped, Eren. Does that seem like a question I wouldn't answer?"

Eren felt his cheeks go hot.

"I guess not...so...did he?"

Levi smirked and popped his 'p' a mannerism of Eren's he had subconsciously adopted.

"Nope. If he wanted to fuck someone up the ass he had ample opportunity with one of his stable of able bodied groupies. Like I said, he's straight. He wanted the full experience."

Eren nodded slowly. His cheeks felt like they were going to set his hair on fire.

"So...have you ever...um...taken it?"

Levi shrugged again.

"Geez, Eren, there is no need to be so fucking nervous. It's just sex. Yes, I've been fucked before, why not? You know how good it feels. It's not my go-to, but that has nothing to do with some bushit positional politics. I tend to be more attracted to...the sort that needs a heavier hand in the bedroom...and attract that sort as well. What about you? Do you want to make me your bitch, Eren?"

Eren smiled at Levi's playfulness but hid his face in his boyfriend's chest for a moment as he considered his response. He looked up again when he was ready to answer.

"No thanks on  _ that  _ offer. I've done both, but I'm not really vers*. It just feels better for me the way...the way we are. I've had a few boyfriends but they never really gave me the option. I've always preferred older, to use your words...heavy handed guys…"

Eren trailed off and peeked at Levi to see what he thought of that. If he thought anything unusual his face didn't show it. He continued quickly.

"The times I was on top were with girls, mostly."

That got him a raised eyebrow.

"Huh. Okay. Look at you Mr. Experience. I've never been with a woman."

"Wow, really?"

"Nope. Never had the slightest desire."

Eren shrugged, trying not to look too smug.

"You're not missing much."

The two of them laughed softly together for a moment. Levi shifted slightly, curling one of his arms around to pillow his head. It did the most distracting thing to the letters scrawled across his bicep.

"You know actually, I've been meaning to ask you...what about you are Armin? I mean...you guys are pretty inseparable. Matching tattoos, weekend trips, long nights in the Subaru-"

Eren rolled his eyes and snorted.

"Nah. Armin and I are  _ strictly _ bromance. I might have had a tiny crush on him in middle school, but I never confessed and it just went away when I realized it was more gratitude than anything else. Armin kinda saved me. My friendship with him was more important than any feelings that would have fucked that up."

Levi twisted his lips.

"Hmmm. So I do have to worry about him stealing you away from me."

Eren scooted up and touched their lips together.

"Not a chance. He's not even my type anymore. Too blonde, too slim, too young."

Levi hummed his approval and shifted to hold Eren tightly around the waist as he connected their lips again. Eren shivered slightly and Levi released him, pulling his shirt off the back of the couch and draping it over Eren's shoulders. He looked at him for a moment, seeming lost in thought.

"God, you're beautiful." 

Eren blushed again and hid his face again. He felt Levi's hands under the shirt, caressing his skin again. 

"Is there anything else you want to talk about before we go upstairs? I'm fucking beat…"

Eren felt bad for delaying bedtime, especially if Levi was tired, but he had just worked up the courage to mention the last thing on his mind. He pushed up and retreated to the other end of the couch. Levi sat up with him, reflexively, but kept his distance, respecting Eren's unspoken desire for space. He fidgeting for a moment and then slid his hands through the sleeves of Levi's shirt, gathering it around himself like armor.

"Um actually, there is  _ one _ thing. I wasn't gonna say anything...I don't really know what to make of it, honestly, but I don't want to keep things from you anymore."

Levi nodded but didn't interrupt.

"When I get...upset, or stressed...or I guess really emotional...afterwards I feel this empty feeling. Like kind of numb and really disconnected. It's really confusing and it doesn't last long, but it...it's scary and it's been happening to me a lot."

He couldn't look at Levi as he trailed off. Saying it out loud made him feel crazy and he didn't want to see the look in his boyfriend's eyes.

"Is that how you felt the night I got back from San Francisco? Did you feel that way before we argued tonight or right now?"

Levi's voice was low and even and dead serious.

Eren nodded.

"Does anything make that feeling pass?"

Eren thought about it for a minute.

"Well, surfing has always cleared every thought from my mind. But lately, just... _ you _ . when I'm with you, everything goes back to its proper place."

" _ Tch _ ...baby…"

Eren sighed as Levi's arms closed around him. He nuzzled into his neck and just breathed for a moment.

"I feel really honored that you told me something so personal, Eren. You are so brave. I think I know what this might be. I'm so glad I make you feel centered when we're together, but you should be able to feel like that on your own. Would you mind if I spoke to a doctor friend of mine and maybe arrange a sit down and chat...for the two of you? To see if she can help…"

Eren tensed, he couldn't help it.

"Or the three of us, if that'll make you feel more comfortable."

He shifted Eren back slightly and looked into his eyes.

"Talking to someone about your mental health is just as important as seeing a doctor for a broken bone. You're an athlete, Eren. Healthy mind, healthy body, pro surfer. Right?"

Eren pressed his lips together and tried to sort out his feelings. The fact that Levi was taking this so seriously made him feel a rush of affection that brought tears to his eyes. Of course, Levi was right. Thanks to his frequent stops at the estate when Levi was not in residence to do laps in the pool or use the fully equipped home gym, he had never been in better physical shape in his life. But due to all the recent stress, he had never felt more unstable. He put his arms around Levi's neck and hugged him tightly.

"Mhm. I don't mind. As long as we do it together. At least at first, okay?" 

"Yeah."

They disengaged and got up slowly. Eren tried not to be distracted when Levi stretched. 

"Ready for bed, brat?"

Eren hobbled a foot and then gasped as Levi sidled up next to him and swept him right off his feet.

"Wha...hey, stop, you're gonna drop me, I'm too heavy!"

Eren put up a token struggle as Levi smirked at him and carried him bridal style from the office slowly up the stairs to the bedroom.

"You are light as a feather."

Eren gave up and settled in, clasping his hands behind Levi's neck as all the resistance drained from his body. He knew better than to argue.

Levi Ackerman would never drop him. 


	26. Armin Approved

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi keeps being romantic and Armin gets a surprise.

Armin fumbled with the room keys, too drunk and distracted to really focus as he rushed to get his  _ damn _ door unlocked. The day had been long, but fucking amazing and it was only going to get better.  _ So _ much better that he didn't even mind that he spent the day on the sand instead of paddling out to get a taste of World Surf League Competition waves. 

Eren was kicking so much ass out there he wouldn't want to steal his friend's thunder anyway...not that he could. His bro was a fucking natural- more at home on his board than on the beach. Eren had always been good, but he was on a whole other level now. He was vibing like a pro and this was just the bottom of his upswing. 

Armin knew the reason for the change and he didn't begrudge his friend his happiness. He still teased and busted the hell out of their balls, but not so deep under the surface, Armin knew Eren and Levi were perfect for each other. He had never seen another two people so ideally suited to one another in his life. They were so  _ functional _ and  _ affectionate _ it made the twenty year age gap evaporate into meaninglessness. On paper one might wonder what these two people could possibly have in common, but all you needed to do was watch them interact for five minutes before you just  _ got _ it. They were so sweet on each other it gave him fucking cavities. 

Eren had been training for the competition and totally in his own world for weeks. Armin knew his best friend was disappointed that he wouldn't be entering the contest with him, but Armin had his hands full with his classes and didn't have the luxury to drop everything and go. He might have, if he had Eren's drive to actually make a career out of surfing. Though lately he had been finding unexpected pleasure in his classes. It wasn't exactly turning him away from the Salt Life, but his horizons had broadened (or narrowed, depending on how you looked at it) to the extent that the world of competitive surfing could wait. 

Still, it would have been nice to support Eren at his first real competition. He had been trying and failing at figuring out how to get there when Levi called. The conversation had been brief and shocked Armin to the core. 

_ "You've reached the Shack, surf's up! Armin speaking, how can I help you?" _

_ The line was silent for a moment. Armin was about to hang up when he heard a bemused monotone on the other end. _

_ "That's the stupidest greeting I've ever heard. I'm trying to figure out whether to laugh or cry." _

_ Armin recognized Levi's voice immediately and chuckled.  _

_ "How ya doing man? Sorry to make you cry twice, but Eren's not here." _

_ "I know...I called to speak to you...rethinking that now..." _

_ Armin rolled his eyes. He didn't feel bad in the least for busting this guy's balls, he gave it back measure for measure. _

_ "Listen old man-" _

_ Armin was cut off by a good natured chuckle. _

_ "All right sonny, listen up, Eren mentioned that you were ducking out on the competition and he seemed pretty broken up about it. He didn't really come out and say anything, but you know how he gets." _

_ Armin pressed his lips together. He wasn't happy about it either, but he really couldn't do anything about it. Eren needed to drive the Subaru up and was gonna be there for most of the week. He couldn't miss that much school. _

_ "Yeah...I feel really fucked up about it, honestly. No need to rub it in." _

_ "I'm not...shitty kid, just listen. I haven't spoken to Eren about this because I don't want him to get distracted from his training...and he's putting on a really brave face right now...but what if you and some of your friends came up for the weekend? It wouldn't be right for Eren not to have anyone but his boyfriend there to cheer him on at his big debut..." _

Armin listened to Levi for a minute, his lips curling into a smile. They haggled back and forth for a few minutes, both satisfied when Levi ended the call. In the end He gave Armin a credit card number and a mission: get everyone Eren cared about to Cocoa Beach for the finals (which conveniently fell on the weekend) and keep it quiet. It made the assumption that Eren would  _ make it _ to the finals and Levi had coldly informed him that that was a bet he was willing to make. 

Armin approved. 

He rented a van (now and forever more affectionately dubbed the party bus) and drove everyone up to Cocoa Beach Friday after classes. They had a good crew, every single one of them excited for the impromptu road trip and lavish style of the hotel suites they rolled into. He managed to wrangle Connie, Jean, Bert, Marco, Sasha, Ymir, and his girlfriend Krista into the scheme and none of them had breathed a word to the man of the hour. When they spilled out onto the beach on Saturday morning the look on Eren's face had been worth the secrecy. 

He finished out the day with the highest scores of the competition  _ again _ . 

The mood was electric all night. Levi had gotten them all suites in the same hotel and they spent the whole afternoon and evening partying on the roof deck. Grub and grog were overflowing; they even had a dock set up to pay music. Levi tried to stay on the sidelines most of the time but Eren kept dragging him right into the center of everything until finally, after murmuring to each other quietly for a solid twenty minutes, looking so stupidly in love it made his chest ache, the two of them disappeared for the rest of the night. 

Not that Armin really had much time to focus on his friend's relationship when so much unexpected shit was going on with his  _ own _ . 

After messing around for most of the summer, he and Krista had been a solid couple for three months. He found himself easily falling for her. She was small, spunky, and ridiculously cute with her innocent blue eyes and her long blonde hair. Which wasn't at all accurate to her foul-mouthed, drink-you-under-the-table reality. She was basically perfect; from her Pollyanna pigtails to her tramp stamp.

And then he met Ymir. He made a good show of indifference because he knew Eren would have his ass, but Ymir, with her long, lean body and effortlessly elegant Southern Goddess affect was literally  _ every-fucking-thing _ he had ever wanted in a woman. After a near miss that was almost a hook-up, he knew she was interested too. Not willing to risk fucking things up with Krista, he took her out to a well frequented public place (in case she decided to throw more than one punch) and came clean. 

He expected tears and rage. His girlfriend surprised him. She asked him if they could all meet. He had doubted her intentions at first; Krista was a wild card. She was older and more experienced and had already graduated from community college. At twenty one, she was working and had a pretty established life. He couldn't imagine where this was going but he set it up anyway and then sat back to watch the fireworks. 

Except what followed was a shockingly frank discussion about polyamory that left him about two lungs shy of his normal breathing capacity. He thought Ymir would run for the fucking hills and never speak to him again, but in the end she turned out to be more  _ Southern Comfort  _ than  _ Southern Hospitality _ . She admitted that she was pansexual (Armin already knew that Krista was bi but never really thought about it) and would be open to a relationship with  _ both _ of them. 

Krista and Armin were committed to each other. Armin and Ymir were drawn to one another. Krista and Ymir felt an instant attraction and were willing to share Armin if it meant they could also have each other. Rather than being the most awkward breakup in human history, that night turned into an amazing first date.

He wasn't exactly sure how it was going to work at first, but Krista had been in a relationship like this before and was a guiding influence. In the end it was way more natural than Armin would have thought possible. They were just all  _ together _ . Individually and as a group. They hung together or in pairs and kept up an unbroken stream of communication that would impress the KGB. Krista explained that full disclosure of everyone's feelings at all times was the only way to make a situation like this work.

Armin thought they would end up pairing off more frequently, but that didn't really happen. He naturally saw Ymir more at school and Krista more on the weekends, but whenever possible the three of them preferred to be together. He and Krista had been solid but somehow Ymir  _ completed  _ them. It happened strangely quickly, but they all felt it, and none of them questioned it. They agreed to keep things low key and put intimacy on hold until they all got used to the situation, but tonight, something seemed to have flared hot and fast.

It might have been the drinks, or the weekend away, or the general mood of celebration, but Krista and Ymir were all over each other...and both of them were all over  _ him _ . 

It was the dream come true of his  _ fucking life _ and he couldn't find the  _ right goddamn room key _ . 

Finally, he swiped the correct card and the little green light and electronic thunk meant the room was open for business. Ymir took her hands off Krista and slid them under his shirt, skimming her fingers along his abs. She was just a hair taller than him (which he found just as hot as Krista's diminutive stature) and murmured syrupy Southern nonsense into his ear from behind. Krista slid around in front of him and backed them into the room, taking Armin's mouth in a deep wild kiss while Ymir worked her lips from his ear down to his neck. 

It took him a moment of confusion to realize that the grunts and groans filling the room weren't coming from his own throat. The threesome froze and Ymir switched the light on, to a full frontal view of Jean on his knees behind a fully nude Marco, ramming into him doggy-style so hard the bed was crashing against the wall. Both men looked up, wide-eyed with shock, freezing mid thrust. The five of them were sharing the suite and they must have mixed up the key cards with the room next door.

A pin could have dropped in the room for a solid fifteen seconds before Krista took control. 

"Okay guys, no need to panic, we are just gonna go on through. Jean, nice technique there bro. Marco...way to groom..."

She eyed the scene appreciatively for a moment before he and Ymir, with a husky chuckle, pushed her through to the connecting door and fumbled with the keys again until he found the right one. They heard the guys exchange a few words of quiet amusement before they started up again once they were through and had the door locked behind them.

Armin leaned against the door, and exhaled. Krista was sitting on the bed, twisting her long braid between her fingers. Ymir was standing casually against the wall, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Each of their faces mirrored the shyness and uncertainty of the others.

Armin thought briefly that it might have been too much of an interruption for them to continue, but he couldn't have been more wrong. As if by tacit agreement, the three of them moved together, reticence falling away as their natural feelings came to the surface.

The mood wasn't ruined at all and the night was far from over


	27. Young Wonder

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren kicks some serious ass.

Eren bobbed up and down on the waves, enjoying a moment of quiet, fourth out from the inside. He shielded his eyes against the bright gray glare of the ocean and looked in toward the beach, where his U. Miami friends joined by Corinne, Davina and the little grom Eric were raising hell in his honor. It was a strange clashing of his school life and his surf-life but rather than being uncomfortable he felt elated, not to mention humbled. 

His eyes swept up from the beach to the pier, eager to find the man responsible for it all. He frowned into the glare, unable to locate Levi for the moment. Scorning the sand today, he had parked himself on the pier early on and barely moved for most of the morning. Eren knew  _ he _ could be seen, so he didn't trouble himself too much. The highlighter-yellow neoprene he had been assigned made sure that he stuck put like a sore thumb, but it would be nice to see his number one fan, regardless. 

When his worlds collided on the beach yesterday morning, Levi gave Armin all the credit for his cheering section, but Eren wasn't fooled. The whole operation was just a little too well planned to have been something for which Armin was responsible. He loved Armin- they were ride-or-die bros for life- which meant he was well aware of both his best friend's strengths and his weaknesses. This surprise had Levi written  _ all over it _ and like everything else he did, it made Eren's heart seize so violently with love he knew  _ surely _ that one day he was just going to keel over and die from it. 

To die, not of a shattered heart, but of one so full it had burst from its confines and exploded all over the inside of his body seemed like a decent compromise.

If he didn't die in a freak shark attack first, of course. 

Eren smirked, casting his eyes dubiously at the waves, checking to see if the Landlord had come a-knocking. Shark sightings weren't exactly rare on Space Coast, but for the most part neither he nor his surfing buddies were too concerned about them. He had heard some wild stories from Corinne about her home country, but that was on the other side of the world. 

Everything seemed ready to kill you in Australia. 

Eren drifted forward automatically, checking his priority. He knew he should probably be more focused on the competition, but the most important thing he could do at this point was keep his mind relaxed and trust his body. In fact, he had surprised himself at how little he was freaking out. The first day out he had done enough fanboying to last him the rest of the competition. 

The WSL entry roster had names of surfers he had only seen on television and on the cover of the magazines in the Shack. Only Levi's presence kept him from imploding from excitement. He worried at first that he would be an outsider but his fears were dashed in an instant. Even though this was his first WSL competition, he had home field advantage at Space Coast and surf culture and sportsmanship ruled the beach. 

Everyone he met, from vets to first timers like himself, was friendly and cool. Not that there wasn't a competitive air among the surfers, just that it didn't create awkwardness. Gazes that had been merely welcoming at the start had turned assessing after the preliminary heats. Thanks to Corinne whispering to anyone who would listen, half the beach was calling him  _ young wonder _ whenever he walked past. Even the commentators seemed to pick up on the nickname. It made him roll his eyes but he didn't really mind- it was better than  _ hey you _ . 

A flash of black in the distance grabbed his eye as the ocean swelled beneath him and Eren caught sight of Levi on the pier. He released a breath he didn't realize he was holding and promptly sucked it right back in again when he realized who he was standing  _ with _ . Zeke stood behind Levi looking the most casual Eren had seen him in years, wearing wrap sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt, his blond hair windswept by the ocean breeze. His mom stood to the side, pressed against the rail, her long black hair snapping back from her face, clearly searching the waves for a glimpse of him. 

His mom and his brother. His  _ family _ . Eren felt his hands start to shake and fought with his lungs to take a steady breath. He knew from therapy that he shouldn't look to Levi as a crutch but he needed to calm down fast or he would miss his wave. He flicked his gaze quickly away from his mom to focus on Zeke. Zeke at least had seen him surf before. His mother had  _ never _ . He made himself breathe out and then shifted his gaze solidly to Levi. He centered his mind, wiggling his hips slightly to recall the dull ache his boyfriend had put there last night. It brought him out of his mind and back to his body.

Eren couldn't imagine what Levi must have done to get them all here, but it was a pretty miraculous feat given their consistent lack of support. He wasn't angry to see them; not at Levi, anyway. The surprise from his friends had bolstered him. This one pulled his board right out from under him. Levi couldn't have known how bringing them here would make him feel.

Eren grit his teeth and focused, feeling more determined than ever. He could only imagine the reason his family had shown up was to hold their breath and wait for him to fail. He would make sure they suffocated. He had never hoped to win his first 'real' competition. All of a sudden he knew beyond a doubt he wouldn't lose. 

With one final calming glance at Levi, he paddled forward and hopped up, feeling the timeless, restless energy of Poseiden's realm flow through the soles of his feet, infusing his body with power and grace. Out here, it didn't matter who was watching. He was one with wind, water, and wave. He had something to prove; for his cheering friends, for Levi's faith in him, for himself. He knew exactly what he needed to do to take it home

And he did it.    


•° ☆ °•

Eren stood on the balcony overlooking the waves as the ocean sank into darkness. He had awoken to an empty hotel room and a note scrawled in Levi's bold, forceful script. 

_ Extended the reservation until tomorrow. Working in the business center; your sleep mumbling is too distractingly cute.  _

_ L _

Eren scowled at the note and was about to toss it petulantly into the trash, but thought the better of it, slipping it under the back cover of his cellphone case before stepping out onto the balcony.

The afternoon had been crazy, joyful, and triumphant. His friends tackled him when he glided into the beach. His win had taken the whole competition by surprise and he was being hailed as  _ the rookie to watch.  _ Between the award ceremony and the scores of reporters and other surfers who wanted a piece of him, it felt like hours before he could take a breath. 

Levi had been there through it all, hovering just out of sight of the snapping cameras. At one point when he thought most of the fervor had died down, he slipped into Levi's arms for his requisite congratulatory kiss and could have sworn he saw a flash flare out of the corner of his eye. He pulled back hesitantly, concerned for Levi's public image but his boyfriend shrugged it off with a casual roll of his shoulder. 

"But haven't you been lurking around to avoid publicity?"

Even though he denied his celebrity, the CEO of a million dollar company was easy fodder for headlines. Levi just squeezed him tightly for a moment and released him.

"I'm hanging back because this is  _ your _ spotlight, baby." 

So simple. So Levi. Eren could have pointed out that they wouldn't be here at  _ all _ if it hadn't been for his support, but swallowed the impulse, knowing it would just irritate his boyfriend and lead to another lecture about believing in himself. He accepted his response with a graceful nod and kissed him again. 

His mom's reaction had been pretty much what he expected, but Zeke genuinely surprised him with his enthusiasm. His mom had smiled and kissed him, but it was rigid. Zeke enveloped him in a hug that threatened to crush his bones and was bragging to anyone within earshot that they were brothers. 

_ "You're one hell of a surfer, kid, when did that happen?"  _

_ Eren swallowed back tears as he gripped Zeke around the waist. His pride and affection brought back the long dormant feeling of love that had been treading just under the surface of their relationship for the last few years. _

_ "While you were working." _

_ Zeke took him by the shoulders and nodded, his own eyes suspiciously bright. _

_ "Sorry it took me so long to notice." _

_ "You're here now." _

Zeke looked genuinely disappointed that they couldn't stay to celebrate, but he and Carla both had work in the morning so they made their way back to the Elantra and headed for home shortly after the Awards ceremony.

Eren's school friends had stayed a little longer, but they too had to head back to sleep off the weekend of partying and be ready for classes in the morning. Jean had stuck by Levi's side nearly all through dinner, practically ignoring poor Marco in favor of his idol's company. 

Despite Eren's previously intense jealousy over Jean's new  _ amante _ , it was impossible to know him and not like him. Of course knowing that he was in a relationship and that Levi had never held even the slightest interest in the other man, meant he could be charitable. Jean and Marco made sense as a couple and Levi liked Jean so the four of them hung out as much as their schedules would allow. 

Freed from his intense focus on surfing for the first time in a while, Eren had also noticed some kind of interesting dynamic swirling around between Armin, Krista, and Ymir and would have pursued it if he hadn't already been cross-eyed with exhaustion. He filed it away for further exploration and let Levi bundle him off to their room and tuck him into bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow. 

Eren sighed into the cool, comfortable darkness. He had fallen asleep just before seven o' clock. The clock radio on the night stand read two a.m. He was wide awake with hours until morning and Levi probably had a ton of work to catch up on. He was still muddling through whether or not he should seek his boyfriend out, when the door swung open, bathing him in a small wedge of orange light from the hallway. He heard the sounds of Levi putting his computer bag down on the desk and the barely-there patter of his quick, light footsteps as he joined Eren on the balcony. 

"Don't jump. Think of the children."

Eren's lips twitched in amusement. He found Levi's dark humor endlessly entertaining.

"Better to go out on a high...it might never get this good again."

Levi's arm slid around his waist, all humor gone from his tone as the atmosphere thickened around them. His voice was syrupy in the darkness.

"Are you kidding? This is just the beginning."

They shared a kiss that was long and slow, savoring each other in the stillness. Eren pulled back so he could calm his racing heart.

"Hello."

"Hello yourself, bright eyes."

Eren rested their foreheads together for a moment. 

"It was pretty great, huh?"

Levi nodded against him.

" _ More _ than great. I'm so proud of you, baby." 

Eren felt his whole body clench at Levi's praise. He sighed and melted impossibly closer. Levi must have misinterpreted the gesture.

"Are you still tired? You don't have to be awake right now. We aren't going to head back until morning." 

Eren felt himself blush in the darkness at what he was about to say, but it wasn't embarrassing enough to hold back. The last month of openness and honesty with Levi had done wonders for his mental health. 

"No...I'm wide awake...I just, uhm, I really like it when you...praise me like that." 

Levi hummed his understanding, shifting his weight so Eren had to stand back. The amused edge was back in his voice. 

"I don't know, baby, you look dead beat to me. I think you need to go back to bed  _ immediately _ ."

Eren bit his lip and grinned.

"Oh do I now?"

Levi was already maneuvering him back inside the room, sliding his hands smoothly under Eren's shirt and slipping them under the waistband of his sweats. Levi's lips moved against his neck. 

"Most definitely."

They sprawled across the bed as Levi devoured him in a frantic kiss that tasted like cranberry vodka. Eren sank into the mattress as Levi stripped off their clothes and tasted his body, lingering in all the places his boyfriend knew he liked it best. Their bodies and breaths melded together like the timeless dance of the wind and waves churning just offshore; the meeting of two elements that were both distinct and eternally entwined. The smooth, yet capricious rolling ocean and the powerful, inexorable wind; feeding each other, becoming each other, neither one quite complete without the other. 

More alike than they were different.


	28. To Spit Or Not To Spit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Carla shows a bit of a wicked sense of humor.

Eren giggled hopelessly and slumped against Levi as the older man half carried, half dragged him across the entryway over to the sofa. It had been nearly two weeks of playing catch up at both work and school before Levi had relented and agreed to a celebratory night out. They hit South Beach with a vengeance, fortifying themselves with dinner before bar hopping for the rest of the night. They lost Marco and Jean somewhere between  _ Cameo _ and  _ Twist _ and Armin, Krista, and Ymir hours before that. 

The sun was rising over Biscayne Bay, washing the long room in grayscale. Eren wasn't really drunk anymore, but the high from the night hadn't worn off yet and Levi seemed in the mood to indulge him. They tumbled onto the couch and Eren giggled harder, the mood changing instantly as he struggled into a sitting position on top of his boyfriend's hard, chiseled body. Levi caressed him from his hairline to his jawbone and Eren leaned forward, kissing the man in an explosion of giddy adoration. Levi half reclined on the sofa, the top buttons of his shirt undone, a vision in black and white, his slate colored eyes darkened with lust. 

"Hey there."

"Hey there yourself, bright eyes."

Eren made a small sound in the back of his throat and pawed at Levi's belt, desperately trying to free the man's cock. He knew he gave him altogether too many blowjobs but he just couldn't help it. Levi's cock was perfect. Thick and long and just slightly curved. He loved the taste and the smell and the way it filled his mouth. He was a slut for that cock. He knew it, Levi knew it. He was not expecting a protest. 

"Eren, fuck...baby, let's go upstairs."

Eren pouted and didn't slow his fingers. He knew he'd never make it up the stairs in his condition and he highly doubted Levi's ability to carry him in  _ his  _ condition.

"Come on Daddy, just a little taste, we don't have to go all the way. Besides, who's gonna be walking through here at this hour?"

Levi groaned as Eren dropped his head, maybe even drunker than the younger man had given him credit for...not that it affected his dick. Eren licked his lips in anticipation as Levi's hard cock slid free of the confines of his slacks. Eren could feel his own pants grow tight and his asshole clench at the sight of it. He leaned down and rubbed his cheek against the smoothness of the shaft, breathing in Levi's musk.

His friend here had been happy to see him all night long. He had been semi hard when he rubbed him with his stocking foot under the table at the restaurant and fully hard when they danced at the clubs, grinding shamelessly on each other in the strobe-lit darkness. He had wanted, so badly, to pull Levi into a dark corner or toilet stall and beg to be fucked but the older man wouldn't hear of it. Eren would have to wait until they got home. 

He was done waiting. 

° ☆ °

"Fucking christ,  _ baby _ ."

Levi groaned as Eren sucked and nibbled on the side of his shaft before taking half his length in one go. His head swam and buzzed as pleasure soaked neurons flooded his nervous system. He didn't know what he had done in his past life  _ or _ this one to deserve a fucking hot eighteen year old boyfriend who was so starved for cock he could eat it for three meals a day, but he was far from complaining. He would have preferred having one of Eren's magnificent blow jobs in the privacy of his bedroom where he could enjoy it with reckless abandon, but he had one too many shots of vodka in his system to really care at the moment. It  _ was _ his house…

" _ Mnnnnnnngh _ !"

Levi sucked his teeth and bucked his hips as Eren did  _ that thing _ with his tongue. He felt the younger man hum with amused satisfaction, the vibration adding another layer of pleasure to the experience. Not one to be inactive, he slid his fingers through Eren's hair, tugging sharply enough to make the younger man whimper. It turned Levi on even more to know how much Eren enjoyed this. The boy's name fell from his lips in a breathless moan.

" _ Eren. _ "

He could feel the pressure building in his abdomen as Eren deep throated him, pulling and kneading on his ball skin, just the way he liked it. His hips rolled of their own accord when he felt the gentle pressure of his cockhead rubbing against the back of Eren's throat. The rasp of his lover's flattened tongue along the under side, the squeezing compression of his hollowed cheeks, the lewd slurps and gags as he choked him down again and again, were almost too much.

There was no way he was going to last if the boy kept up such single minded intensity and he didn't seem in any mood to stop. Levi tipped his head back against the cushions and watched the fucking gorgeous sight between his legs, feeling like the luckiest bastard on the face of the earth. The morning light that streamed through the windows started picking up the deep chocolate of Eren's hair and the tiny flecks of gold that wove through it. All Levi needed to be completely gone was to see those fucking fathomless Caribbean colored eyes. As though Eren read his mind, he lifted his head, his erotic face intent with focus. 

° ☆ °

There were three times in Eren's life that he experienced time slowing down. The first was the day his father "taught" him how to ride a bicycle. It was a beautiful day, by south Florida standards, bright and sunny, not unbearably hot, with just a hint of a breeze. Eren was riding without training wheels for the first time. His father told him he would be  _ right behind him the whole time _ and then, in typical Grisha Yeager fashion, let go of the bike. It had been a whole glorious three seconds before Eren realized he had no idea how to brake. He could have counted the moments between that realization and when he veered off the sidewalk, hit a parked car and got thrown into the street. Luckily, that adventure ended in only a broken arm. 

The second time was the day his father left for the last time. He was already in bed for the night but the screaming woke him up. He was usually able to go back to sleep when his parents were fighting, but this time it was different. He could hear his mother crying and it had an edge to it. He crept down the hallway and edged out far enough to see his mother on the floor with blood streaming from her face. Father loomed over her looking drunk and dangerous. Zeke stood between them in a wide stance, his little league baseball bat poised over his shoulder, hatred and fear radiating from his fifteen year old body. 

" _ If you touch her again, old man I'll fucking kill you! Get out of here! Get out and never come back _ ."

Eren remembered starting to shake. He didn't understand what was happening. Why would Zeke tell daddy to go? Daddy was hardly ever around anyway and why was mama bleeding? He must have made a noise because both his parents turned to look at him. He looked from his mother's sodden, blood covered face to his father's which instantly became etched with remorse and started crying. Grisha took a step forward and Zeke reacted, swinging the bat in slow motion, striking their father on the shoulder. The old man reared back, cursing, and turned, wishing them a final "fuck you" before stalking out of the house. Eren hadn't seen him since. That adventure ended in a broken nose for his mom and a broken family. 

The third time was unfortunately that morning.

° ☆ °

Eren shifted and moaned around Levi's cock as he felt it slot into the back of his throat and rub against the heat and slickness. In anyone else such an action would have triggered a powerful gag reflex, but he just enjoyed fate's gift and swallowed against the invading organ. He could feel Levi's urgent thickening and knew the man was close. He pulled back about halfway, just enough so that he could look up into Levi's eyes and pull him over the edge into oblivion. He knew that it worked, except it wasn't his boyfriend's eyes he looked straight into, but his  _ mother's _ .

His mother, standing stock still, in the process of creeping quietly down the stairs of his boyfriend's house, wearing another man's shirt. His mother, with a perfect view of him staring back at her with his lips wrapped around Levi's cock. He felt the organ convulse in his mouth and spill its fluid into his cheeks.

Even as heat stole up the back of his neck, he knew he had no choice. 

He swallowed. 

Levi lolled on the couch, clearly none the wiser to their audience.

" _ Fuck! _ Eren…"

"Mom?"

Carla's eyes flashed from Eren's face to Levi's softening cock and then to the man who had walked up behind her on the stairs.

"Eren."

"Kenny?  _ Mom! _ "

Levi finally caught up, his eyes focusing on the stairs as he tucked himself away.

"Well, shit."

The four of them stayed frozen until Kenny let out a dramatic sigh. 

"Well now that we are all  _ out in the open _ how about we sit down and talk about this over breakfast?"

Carla's eyes flashed. She didn't even blink.

"I don't think Eren's hungry."

Two beats of silence ticked by as mortification suffused every cell of Eren's body. He nearly jumped out of his skin when Levi let out a sharp bark of laughter and then both he and his brother collapsed into such a long, hard fit of hysterics Eren thought they would need hospitalization.

He had actually never seen Levi laugh that much...ever. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was clutching his sides breathlessly before he noticed Eren's lack of amusement. Even Carla cracked a smile, but probably at the effects her dry wit had on the Ackerman brothers. Eren wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Finally Levi recovered enough to sit up and pull them both to their feet, none too steadily. 

"I'm sorry baby, I'm sorry. Don't be upset. I think breakfast is a good idea."

Eren focused on the floor and he felt Levi's fingers on his chin, pulling his gaze upward. 

"Hey, relax baby. Relax for me?"

Eren made a flustered sound when Levi kissed him gently but it had the desired effect. He felt himself calming down from the shock and confusion he just experienced. Levi was back in control and when Levi was in control everything was okay. He reoriented himself to be just beside and a little behind the older man and gripped his arm tightly as he led him into the dining area behind the others. 


	29. Eggs And Soldiers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi stands up for his man.

Levi walked into the dining room and sat down at the head of the table, conscious of Eren's fidgety discomfort. Kenny and Carla had walked into the kitchen and were getting soundly shooed out by a grumpy Carmen who, from the smell of it, was already brewing coffee. They came out and sat across from Eren awkwardly, Carla's previous humorous take on the situation drying up now that they were face to face. This had the potential to be a total disaster and Levi wasn't exactly sure how he was going to handle it- which wasn't helped at all by his current blood alcohol level. 

Levi and Carla were not big fans of each other and he knew that things had been tense between Eren and his mom since Cocoa Beach. He was happy to see his boyfriend reestablishing common ground with Zeke (despite their initial drama, he couldn't help but like the guy) and had hoped it would be the same with his mom, but things seemed to have stagnated. Eren mentioned it once in therapy and Levi didn't press him on it. Eren would come to him when he was ready, like he always did. 

Levi exchanged a glance with Kenny who shrugged imperceptibly. He didn't like the fact that he had been unaware of their involvement, but that was par for the course with his older brother. Really, he shouldn't be surprised. Eren had inherited his mother's striking looks. He and Kenny had always had similar taste in partners. It might have caused problems if he and his brother hadn't been attracted to different genders from day one. Or if Levi had ever met anyone worth competing over, until now.

Levi cleared his throat but barely got a sentence out before Carla cut him off.

"So, you two-"

" _ Really _ , Eren? In the middle of the living room?"

Eren's whole body spasmed as though he was being shocked by jumper cables, his eyes snapping with annoyance.

"So we're just gonna gloss over  _ your _ walk of shame right now? At least  _ I'm _ in my  _ boyfriend's house _ !"

Carla's eyes sizzled at him right back, honey brown clashing with cerulean blue.

"Well so am I!"

Both Ackerman's raised their eyebrows. Carla colored slightly and turned to Kenny apologetically. 

"I...I mean I know we hadn't said as much…"

Kenny gave her a soft smile and Levi realized for the first time that they were holding hands under the table. 

"Of course I feel that way about you, Carla. I was waiting until you told the boys for it to be official."

Eren's gawking was interrupted by Carmen and Renata bustling in to set the table. Like most of the meals, breakfast was served family style with the exception of Levi's plate which was placed in front of him filled to his specifications. He picked at his avocado toast and soft boiled egg disinterestedly while his brother filled his plate with bacon and eggs. The only thing at the table he really wanted to eat was his boyfriend, but he could see all hope of that rapidly receding into the distance. His other priority was sleep- preferably with Eren wrapped around him- for the rest of the day. 

Eren bit his lip.

"How come you didn't say anything, mom? How long has this been going on?"

Carla looked guilty, but she answered her son properly. Levi admired her courage. 

"Just under two months. We had coffee a few times after that dinner...and things just progressed. But it wasn't a secret...Zeke knows."

At that Eren started.

"So it was just a secret from  _ me _ ?"

Carla frowned defensively.

"Well I knew how you were going to react! You're one to talk anyway, after sneaking around for a whole summer."

"That's totally different and you know it! Anyway I  _ did _ tell you I was seeing someone, just not who it was."

Eren seethed for a moment and continued before he could he interrupted. 

"And  _ how _ am I reacting? Shocked and hurt that you would hide something so important from me?"

Levi could see tears of frustration gathering in the corners of Eren's eyes and he was officially done with this conversation.  _ Nobody _ was going to make Eren cry in his presence if he had any  _ fucking _ thing to say about it. And he  _ did _ . He kept his voice calm out of sheer force of will. It was sterner than he would have liked but he didn't mind the effect it had on the rest of the table. 

" _ Eren _ ."

The younger man turned to him, immediately settling down. Levi laid his hand palm up on the table and Eren grasped it like a lifeline. Their touch was electric, like it was always was, and Levi caressed the other's hand soothingly.

"I actually think now is the perfect time to discuss our news with your mother, since it affects everyone here."

He could see the question in Eren's eyes but forged forward nonetheless. As a successful entrepreneur he had to be willing to gamble and part of his success was placing the right bet at the right time. He and Eren might not have discussed this as much as he was implying, but he knew there was a ninety percent chance it would be the perfect thing to bring up in order to interrupt the Yeager shouting match. 

"We have been discussing our living arrangements and I think now is the perfect time for Eren to move in."

The effect on the table was instant. Kenny's eyes widened but he stayed silent, the Yeagers reacted immediately.

" _ What _ ? No!"

"Yes!"

Eren's eyes snapped brightly and he grinned at Levi before turning to his mom. They had discussed it...once...in a fit of half asleep post-coital bliss, but it had been on Levi's mind for a while. 

"It makes sense, Carla. He stays over here more often than not and I live closer to campus. Besides,"

He squeezed Eren's hand gently and they made eye contact.

"Now that we don't see each other at work, it would be nice to know we'll still see each other every day at  _ home _ ."

He purposely emphasized the word home in the hopes that Eren would catch his true meaning- that basically anywhere they were together had taken on that status for him. Judging by the nearly luminescent glow of the younger man's expression, he understood fully well. Levi was determined to ignore Kenny's comically gaping face. He, out of everyone at the table would know what a break from character this kind of statement was for Levi. He thought it would bother him, giving up his bachelor autonomy, but now that he had thrown his intentions out into the universe, the last thing he wanted to do was snatch them back. If he could have Eren, he really didn't give a God-fucking -damn what anyone thought. 

Carla's sputtering interrupted their moment.

"Absolutely  _ not _ ! Y-you barely know each other. Occasional sleep-overs are  _ not the same _ as living together."

"I'm well aware. Which is why we want to move in together."

Carla shook her head. Levi had expected a bit of push back, but her virulence surprised him. 

"Yes, the ' _ together _ ' part is what I'm concerned about. This is just ridiculous. How could Eren possibly contribute equally to this sort of situation?  _ You can't just buy my son, Levi Ackerman _ !"

Levi's eyes flew open in shock, momentarily stymied by this new development, but it quickly began to dissipate into a flare of fury. Eren, Kenny, and Carla had all jumped to their feet. His brother trying to rapidly diffuse the situation in a low tone of voice. 

"Now Carla, I think that might be a bit too far."

But Eren's voice overrode the others. The last few months of tension had finally reached their breaking point.

"Well now that I know what you  _ really _ think of me, it all becomes clear. I hate to inform you of this, mother, but I can't be  _ owned _ . Not by anyone else and certainly not by  _ you _ . I'm an adult and where I live is  _ my _ choice. We  _ don't _ need your permission and I  _ didn't _ ask for it."

But Carla wasn't about to back down.

"Eighteen is  _ hardly _ an adult, and can you  _ really _ argue with what is so  _ blindly obvious  _ to everyone else?"

"What's so obvious mom? That I'm...I'm a  _ gold digging whore _ ? Is that what you call me in all these private conversations you're having with Zeke? Or maybe that I'm some kind of...of sugar baby plaything? Cause guess what, I've heard it  _ all _ before and I don't give a shit about  _ any _ of it. Levi doesn't have to  _ buy _ me because _ I already belong to him _ . Nobody needs to understand our relationship.  _ Nobody. _ Neither of us have cared about that from the start. I just didn't think I'd hear that shit from  _ you _ ."

Crackling silence descended on the group. Levi could see Carla's eyes widen with remorse but Eren didn't give her a chance to apologize. He whirled around, fists clenched and stormed out onto the patio. Levi stood deliberately and pinned both Kenny and Carla with his trademark glare. His voice was as rough as flint.

"Don't go anywhere."

Kenny nodded and he and Carla retook their seats, Eren's mother looking shell-shocked.

He found Eren pacing and fuming down by the pool, just out of sight of the dining room. He took a moment to breathe before alerting the younger man to his presence. Truth be told, he had never had his intentions so soundly defended in all his life. Listening to Eren fearlessly defend their relationship to the most important person in his life had him fucking gobsmacked. He didn't really know what to say but Eren noticed him and came to his side immediately, his black fury disintegrating into tears the moment he looked at Levi's face.

"I'm  _ so _ sorry you had to listen to that. None of those awful things are true and-"

Levi couldn't stand it for one more millisecond. He pulled Eren close and kissed him lightly, stroking his hair and his tear-wet cheeks. 

"You were magnificent. I've never been so proud to call you mine."

Eren hiccupped adorably and tried to hide his face in his hands.

"L-Levi I'm a mess…"

"You are positively fucking gorgeous, and I won't hear another word about  _ that _ ." 

He pulled Eren into a tight embrace and felt the other man melt against his body and bury his face in his neck. It hit him like a ton of bricks that neither of them had slept in twenty four hours. All he wanted to do was bundle his delicious mess up to the bedroom and go to sleep, but they couldn't leave things as they were. With more self control than he gave himself credit for he peeled Eren off his body. 

"Go talk to Carla."

"What?  _ No _ ."

Levi raised an eyebrow at him as a subtle reminder that Eren didn't speak to him that way. The younger man must have gotten the hint because his head drooped slightly and his cheeks tinged pink.

"Ah, I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. I uh...aww come on Levi, I really don't want to…we don't need her permission anyway."

"No, we don't. And honestly she's on my last fucking nerve today, but she is your  _ family _ , Eren. We are not doing something wrong or shameful and I don't want to take the next step in our relationship with this drama hanging over our heads. Go talk to your mom and sort it out." 

They returned to the house and Eren and Carla slipped away together, both much subdued, out onto the patio to speak privately. Levi sat heavily in his chair at the table and massaged his temples. 

"Quite a spitfire you've got there, little bro."

Levi didn't need to look at Kenny to know exactly what expression would be on his face. The bastard  _ loved _ this kind of bullshit. Sometimes he wondered how they could be so similar and yet so completely different. 

"You had to fucking date my boyfriend's  _ mother _ , Ken? Palm beach run out discontented widows?"

Kenny chuckled, unperturbed by Levi's ribbing. 

"Ahh I don't know what to tell you...maybe it's an Ackerman/Yeager chemistry thing. Carla is...she's special. I've certainly never seen  _ you _ act like such a besotted fool."

Levi couldn't really argue with that, so he didn't bother. He didn't honestly give two shits who his brother was sleeping with, dating, or marrying at the moment. Kenny was just Kenny, with as much of the violent Ackerman stubbornness as the rest of them. Taming Kenny was impossible. He would do what he wanted regardless, so it was best to leave him alone. 

Now that he had a chance to think about it though, Kenny and Carla would probably make a good match. She had maturity and level-headedness to match her pretty face and even though Levi didn't much care for her assessment of her son, he couldn't deny that she would probably be a stabilizing influence on his wayward brother. 

Levi never really got the full story of why Kenny joined the family in Miami but he had the sneaking suspicion that a broken marriage might have something to do with it. Ken never mentioned anything so Levi didn't make it an issue. Needless to say, if anyone ever showed up on the doorstep with Kenny's eyes and a halfway decent claim it would be the least surprising thing that happened that day. 

Both men picked at their breakfasts, Levi letting out an audible groan of relief when Carmen placed an expertly brewed cup of English breakfast tea in front of him. He was halfway through the steaming beverage when mother and son returned to the table looking a damn sight friendlier than they had when they left. 

Eren settled in his chair and leaned forward to give Levi a peck on the cheek.

"Thank you."

Levi responded by pecking him on the lips.

"You're welcome."

"So is everything settled then?"

Kenny asked the question generally, but his gaze was on Carla who nodded a tad uncertainly.

"We've come to an understanding."

She didn't expound and Kenny didn't push. She turned to Levi.

"I...I'm sorry about what I said, Levi. You will have to excuse a mother's fears…"

This was not the first time Carla had voiced this much to him and though he found it mildly insulting, he really couldn't blame her. He wasn't a father, he wasn't even the oldest in his family, but he had taken care of them all for so long that he knew what it felt like to feel personally responsible for someone you loved more than yourself. If anyone ever threatened one of his sisters, he wouldn't be asking questions first.

"I wouldn't expect anything less of you, Carla. But I would appreciate you not insulting Eren in my presence again. That is harder to forgive."

Carla nodded. It was a difficult statement to swallow and it got Levi's point across loud and clear. At the end of the day he was still her boss, and this  _ was _ still his house. He felt a twinge of guilt for putting the woman so soundly in her place, but certain things were non negotiable.

"I'd like us all to get along, especially since we seem to be quite entangled here. You are always welcome here, of course, with or without my brother, as long as Eren feels comfortable with that."

That earned him a glare from Kenny which put a smirk on his face. Levi didn't shrink from tossing out the unsubtle reminder that in the Ackerman family, in  _ this _ house his word was law and at this point Eren was his heaviest influence. He hadn't expected pushback from Kenny and he didn't receive any. Despite their age difference, Levi had been making the decisions their family lived by for twenty years. It was something they all just accepted.

Anyone who didn't like it could make their own decisions someplace else. 

"That's very kind of you, Levi. I expect I'll actually see more of my son from now on. Assuming you two can keep it rated-G around the house."

Eren choked on a forkful of eggs and coughed forcefully at the unsubtle reminder of the event that had precipitated this unplanned breakfast. Levi's train of thought was derailed when Carla voiced what he had been thinking.

"Look at that, he  _ does _ have a gag reflex…"

Kenny chuckled and Levi pressed his lips together, wisely controlling his amusement to avoid embarrassing his boyfriend further. He needn't have worried though. Eren pinned his mother with a glare and spoke in a dead-ass monotone that even Levi would struggle to replicate.

"Only when I'm not sucking cock, mother. It's a good skill to have, trust me. It makes me quite popular at parties."

Carla's eyes widened and then all four of them laughed, breaking the tension that had started to build up again. Levi enjoyed the moment of levity but was genuinely on the verge of collapse. He got to his feet, Eren quickly following suit.

"On that lovely note, we are going to bed. We can work out all the details of the move later, once Eren and I have actually slept." 

Mikasa was coming down the stairs as Levi was pulling Eren up them and looked between the couples with sleepy confusion. 

"Who's moving?" 

But Levi and Eren were already through the bedroom door, which was closed and locked soundly behind them. They had barely stripped out of their clothes before falling exhausted to the bed, wrapping themselves around each other and descending into a deep, dreamless sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dear Lovelies, this was originally the end of That One Summer. I say originally, because even though I felt like I could probably leave it here, I became unsatisfied with this as an ending. So the story continues, because Levi and Eren just haven't loved each other enough yet, and they still have so much life together left to live.  
> Enjoying TOS? Send that kudos!  
> ♡DiLo


	30. Codependency

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren tries to fit in with Levi's friends and finds it harder than he thought he would.

Murmured conversation ebbed and flowed, sliding between the soft tinkling of glasses and occasional scrape of utensils. 

Levi sipped his Prosecco thoughtfully, making a concerted effort to enjoy the company of his friends and not just stare at his boyfriend all night. The struggle was real. In his perfectly fitted, mustard-colored sport coat and dark navy blue dress shirt, Eren looked good enough to eat. His thick dark hair was longer now than when they met and he wore it pulled back off his face in a half up, half down down style that allowed a few smaller strands to fall forward and frame his face. He looked mature, worldly, and devastatingly handsome. 

But he didn't look at all comfortable.

Levi could understand why and had to admit he was partially to blame. With nothing significant to hold them back, Eren moved onto the Estate a week after discussing it with his mom. They had both been nervous at first, but like everything else in their relationship, the transition was seamless and natural. Within the first week, all of Eren's things had been completely absorbed into his home, including the man himself. 

They were still both busy, he with work and Eren with surfing and school, but at all other times they were inseparable. It wasn't even enough to know they were both in the house at the same time, true comfort...like a sigh of relief that passed through his entire body...pushed him to spend as much time as possible with the other man. Slowly, Levi found himself bending his work schedule around his boyfriend's classes. On Mondays and Thursdays he no longer took meetings before ten a.m. and on Tuesday and Friday afternoons he worked from home. 

Eren had taken to settling in on the couch in his office and doing schoolwork or playing on his phone while Levi worked. He offered to get him a desk, but the man just shrugged it off, admitting that he was way too physically ansty to sit behind a desk for long periods of time. He felt much more comfortable with his long legs stretched out across the cushions and his laptop resting on his stomach. Levi could hardly argue. Seeing Eren so at ease, making  _ his _ space  _ their _ space, gave him a sense of satisfaction he had never felt before. 

He thought briefly that their constant association would wear thin, but reality showed the opposite to be true. Rather than causing friction that begged for separation, Levi only wanted to be closer to Eren. They slept holding each other every night and ate all their meals at home next to each other. They coordinated their schedules to work out together or race each other in the pool. Even when he was working, Levi found himself often on the couch instead of at his desk, absentmindedly petting Eren's hair as the young man rested in his lap. 

Another added bonus was the boost to their already active sex life. There was almost never a time or place that they were alone when sex was off the table. They ripped each other's clothes off in almost every room of the house furnished with a lockable door...and several that weren't. A newly discovered favorite of theirs was to take Levi's boat out in the evenings so they could cruise around the bay and make love under the darkening sky. 

And it  _ was _ love. They hadn't said as much, but it couldn't be anything else. They had completely taken over each other's lives and Levi was certain that the feeling of wanting to be even closer was entirely mutual. Even an inch of space between them was intolerable when they could be pressed together. 

Imperceptibly at first, they started pulling back from other people. Levi had never spent a large amount of time with friends, but he definitely spent more time at home, including Eren in all of his usual visits with his family. Levi encouraged Eren to spend time with his friends and he tried, but it didn't seem to make his boyfriend happier. After one particular evening apart, the younger man came home a clingy, stressed out, basket case. Levi stopped pushing the envelope; Eren's happiness was more important to him than any outside perception of what a college student's life should look like. 

It wasn't as if they were hermits. The house was constantly filled with people, even if they didn't always hang out together. Jean and Marco were more frequent visitors than the others, since Marco came to see his family and the four of them got along well. Armin, Ymir, and Krista also made the Estate something of a second home, which Levi knew caused his boyfriend intense relief. With Armin's newfound focus on school and the demands of a relationship with two girlfriends (heaven help the bastard) he had all but given up on going up the coast to surf with Eren. 

The last two months had been the happiest of Levi's life. Everything with Eren just  _ worked _ and the answering happiness he saw in the other man's eyes confirmed his feelings.

Unfortunately, however, their codependence didn't always translate well into social situations, like tonight. 

Eren shifted awkwardly, his bright blue eyes flashing to Levi when the waitress came to take his order.  _ Makoto _ was fancy even for Bal Harbor and since when they  _ did _ go out their speed was more cafes and street food on Collins avenue than fine dining, it was inevitable that his boyfriend would feel out of place. He leaned forward and interjected politely, placing his hand over Eren's on the table and ordering an assortment of dishes for them to share. The younger man relaxed visibly though not entirely, as he would have if they were alone. 

"Oh Levi, you baby him too much! The man can order his own dinner."

Zoe might have thought she was whispering, which meant the entire table could hear her after the waitress disappeared. Moblit sat forward rolling his eyes and put his arm around his long-time partner. 

"When are you going to stop nosing into other people's relationships?"

He flashed a grin at Eren.

"Ignore her."

Eren exhaled, fighting his blush. He tried to put on a brave face but Levi could tell he was even more uncomfortable than before. Levi didn't feel terribly comfortable himself. He enjoyed spending time with Zoe and Erwin, but when they got together as couples like this, it was a struggle to pretend that he wasn't disgusted by Erwin and Annie's relationship. He had no great love for Frieda, and Erwin's private life was none of his business, but standing up for his best friend on his wedding day had meant something to Levi...because  _ marriage _ meant something to Levi. Seeing Erwin out and about with a partner who was not his wife, regardless of their arrangement, made Levi sick to his stomach. 

Levi never thought he would marry, but he knew that if or when he did it would be  _ forever _ and  _ faithful _ . Not the kind of forever like his parent's painful, broken situation, the kind of forever that came from two people being so in love that spending every minute of every day together for the rest of their lives was  _ simply not enough _ of a commitment. He huffed in mirthless amusement under his breath at the thought that a common pot-shot at the gay community was their desire destroy the institution of marriage. As if  _ straights _ had any respect for it at all. 

"What's so funny?"

Levi looked up in Eren's eyes and lost himself for a moment. It was too natural to think about marriage with Eren's hand clasped just-too-tightly in his, but they had been together barely six months. If he told the truth, his boyfriend would run for the hills. 

"Nothing, sweetheart."

They were both recalled to the conversation by Erwin's booming voice. 

"...not taking no for an answer this year Levi."

He blinked at his friends, who were all staring at him expectantly

"Beg your pardon?"

Annie leaned forward, flipping her short blonde hair over her scarlet-clad shoulder. Levi couldn't help but find her outfit more than fitting. Her voice was husky as she leaned forward.

"What  _ Winnie _ was trying to say is that we would  _ really _ love for everyone to join us for the trip this year. Now that you're a couple, you can't use  _ that _ excuse anymore."

Levi suppressed the urge to grit his teeth and snap that his lack of attendance was to save him from the brain bleed of hearing her call Erwin " _ Winnie _ " for two weeks. 

Zoe interjected, probably in response to the murderous gleam in his eye.

"And you can't use your birthday as an excuse either, because we all know you never celebrate it anyway." 

They were interrupted briefly by the arrival of the first course. When everything was settled Erwin started in again. 

"Come on Levi, a verbal yes is needed."

Eren turned to him and cleared his throat. 

"Uhm, what trip is everyone talking about?"

Zoe and Erwin both raised their eyebrows, Erwin considerably more impressively.

"Levi! You didn't even tell him? We've been talking about this for  _ weeks _ ."

Levi sighed in defeat. He didn't mention it, because he didn't want to go.

"It's nothing, just a ski trip that these idiots are trying to make an annual thing."

Annie leaned across the table trapping Eren with her pale blue gaze.

"Tsk. It is not just a ski trip it's a winter holiday and it  _ is _ annual, you just don't always come. My brother owns a lodge in Telluride." 

Eren nodded, not looking like he had any more understanding of the situation than he had before she explained it.

"Oh. Okay. Sounds fun."

Levi frowned as Eren turned to his food, noticeably downcast. He excused himself to the bathroom a few minutes later. Levi excused himself as well, citing his concern over Eren's sickly pallor. He found his boyfriend in the bathroom washing his face, looking dejected. He put his arms around him immediately but Eren stayed rigid. 

"I'm not feeling so hot. Would you mind if I just went home?"

Levi pulled back to look at Eren's face.

"Yes, I would mind. If you want to leave we'll leave together. What's the matter, baby?"

Eren wouldn't meet his eyes. He put a little bit of strictness in his tone to wake the younger man up.

" _ Eren _ ."

The younger man sighed and looked into his eyes. 

"If you don't want to mix me with your friends, you don't have to lie about it."

Levi's mind stuttered and went blank.

"What?"

"I just thought you guys didn't hang out much, but not telling me about an annual vacation just because you don't want to take me is a little extreme. You don't even  _ have _ to take me if you don't want to...it's not like I couldn't survive for two weeks without you-"

Levi's mind caught up with a lurch and he placed his fingers over Eren's lips to stop his mumbling.

"What makes you think  _ I  _ could survive for two weeks without  _ you _ ?" 

Eren blinked at him adorably. 

"Eren, I didn't tell you about the trip because I was trying to avoid going, not because I don't want to take  _ you _ somewhere. I want to take you everywhere. And that comment about not mixing you with my friends is bullshit. I don't know what kind of life you think I lived before we met, but I'm not a very social person. Hanji and Erwin were pretty much it and I rarely saw them outside work. Dinners like tonight are me  _ going out of my way _ to include you."

"Oh."

Eren's expression cleared, so he just looked embarrassed instead of sad.

Levi gave him a peck on the cheek and they left the bathroom together. 

"Come on, cheer up. Do you really want to go on a ski trip anyway? It's so  _ cold _ ." 

Eren shrugged, looking thoughtful as Levi pulled his chair out for him and they sat back down at the table.

"I wouldn't know. I've never seen snow."

That got everyone's attention. Levi's jaw dropped.

"You've never...seen...snow?"

Eren shrugged, unperturbed by everyone's shock.

"Well I have lived in Florida all my life. It snowed once in the 1970s but that was like 30 years before I was born. I've also never been on an airplane so I haven't had the opportunity to see snow in other places."

Zoe narrowed her eyes and him in accusation.

"Levi, I  _ demand _ you let Eren decide for himself. I forbid you to keep him under a rock."

Levi still couldn't process that Eren had never seen snow. Something about that was just so unbearably cute he couldn't breathe.

"Eren...do you want to go? You'd have to miss Christmas and New Years in Miami."

Eren bit his lip and looked at him shyly. Levi's heart skipped so frantically he thought he was going to faint. 

"It...it sounds like a lot of fun."

Zoe, Moblit, Annie and Erwin all looked thrilled. Levi sat back as they spent the rest of the meal regaling Eren with stories of past trips and making plans for the one in two weeks. 

Levi kept Eren's hand in his under the table. Maybe with Eren along, it wouldn't be half bad. 


	31. Aviophobia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren learns something new about his boyfriend.

_ Two Weeks Later _ ...

Eren trailed after Levi through Miami International Airport, eyes wide with excitement, as he took in the bustling pre-Christmas travellers. The cavernous space was full of cheer and holiday decorations. Having a car meant that Eren was always called upon by friends and acquaintances to do airport pick ups and drop offs, but he had never before stepped inside, with good reason: he had never had any place to go or the money with which to get there. 

He stumbled slightly and nearly fell over the carry-on Levi was wheeling behind him, when he stopped and swerved to avoid a particularly large crowd of people, cursing under his breath. Eren adjusted his own bag, delighted with how it glided smoothly around the obstacles more gracefully than he had. His carry-on, like the rest of his luggage for this trip, was brand new. Levi had flat out refused to let him take a business class flight or appear in one of the ritziest resort towns in the Rockies toting a ratty, misshapen duffle bag. 

Eren nearly plowed into his boyfriend again before he realized the man had stopped in front of a set of frosted glass doors with a stylized engraving across the front. 

"What...is this the gate?"

Levi passed through without responding and Eren's question was answered by a smartly dressed woman with a wide toothy smile. 

"Welcome to the  _ Centurion Lounge _ , sir. Your comfort is our priority. May I take your bag?" 

Levi handed his luggage over so Eren followed suit, sidling up close to the other man as he placed their boarding passes, his driver's license and a thick black credit card on the desk in front of a different smiling attendant. 

A few key-strokes later the woman rose from her chair behind the desk. 

"We are  _ so _ pleased you decided to join us, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. Yeager. The bar and lounge is right this way. Would you like a concierge to collect you before your flight?"

Levi nodded briskly.

"Yes, thank you."

"Excellent. Right this way."

Eren's eyes popped wider and wider as the attendant showed them around the large, opulently furnished room. The walls were beautifully panelled with whole sections and dividers constructed of frosted glass. Comfortable seating abounded in alcoves that offered a small degree of privacy around the periphery. Eren also noted hallways that lead to the lavatories as well as private rooms and showers. A separate area for children took up part of the room behind a glass divider filled with toys, books, and comfortable looking oversized pillows. A cafeteria style buffet took up one side of the long room filled with freshly made brunch foods and a long bar sat along the far wall. The entire side wall opposite the entrance was made of floor to ceiling glass and had an unobstructed view of planes taxiing on and off one of the runways. 

Eren thanked the woman again and nearly lost track of Levi as he made a direct beeline for the bar. He was already sipping a double scotch when Eren sat down next him. Levi wasn't usually a day drinker, but Eren shrugged it off; it was five o' clock somewhere. He was incapable of keeping the excitement out of his voice.

"This is so incredible! Talk about  _ style _ !" 

Levi got up and wandered over to the window, staring sightlessly at the planes before turning his back on them. Eren frowned and followed him, lowering his voice.

"Uh...don't you have to  _ pay _ for that?"

Levi gave him a look, momentarily distracted from his mood.

"Eren, the card that grants us access to this lounge has a twenty five  _ hundred _ dollar annual fee. I already paid for everything in here."

Eren looked around furtively, taking in the room in light of this new information. The lives of the one percent never ceased to amaze him. 

"Why don't you go get something to eat, baby. I'm gonna check my email." 

Eren nodded, taking note of where Levi sat down, his back facing away from the outside wall, so he would find him easily again. He joined him again ten minutes later toting a Belgian waffle slathered in nutella, tropical fruit salad and cinnamon mochaccino. He bit into his food and moaned with ecstacy. 

"Levi you've got to try this, it's  _ so _ good."

Levi grunted at him in annoyance, not even looking at his phone anymore. Eren frowned at the sickly gray pallor of his skin and set aside his food, concern coloring his voice.

"Are you, okay? Should I call someone? You don't look so good."

"I'm _ fine _ ." 

Eren recoiled and watched Levi down the rest of his scotch. He knew the man couldn't possibly be upset at him and wracked his brain to figure out what was going on. His boyfriend had been jittery this morning, insisting they leave hours before their flight but he just chalked it up to his usual type A tendencies. A memory niggled in from the last time he had seen Levi after a flight and the truth dawned on him in a moment of startling clarity. 

"Uhm...babe...are you  _ afraid _ of flying?"

Levi flicked him a half-heartedly miserable glare.

"Afraid?  _ Why _ would anyone be  _ afraid _ to get strapped into a three hundred ton metal  _ deathtrap _ and flung through the air, thirty five thousand feet off the ground at six hundred miles per hour?"

Only Eren's utter shock at this new development kept his face straight.

"I...see…"

An errant thought had him frowning.

"But um...if you  _ dislike _ flying, why are we taking  _ two _ planes instead of just  _ one _ ?"

Their travel itinerary involved the flight from Miami to Denver and then a chartered plane to the airport in Telluride which was inaccessible to commercial aircraft. He vaguely remembered a call Levi had with Hanji over speaker phone a week ago where she implored them to take the company jet from Palm Beach directly to Telluride with the others. 

Levi's voice was bitingly sarcastic. 

"Because ninety seven percent of all aviation fatalities occur in small aircraft, Eren."

"But-"

"Eat your damn waffle."

Eren raised his eyebrows and tucked into his food, trying to sneak surreptitious glances at his boyfriend and keep his obvious delight to a minimum, lest Levi find it irritating. Eren was no stranger to anxiety and his heart truly went out to Levi. He found himself regretting the fact that he hadn't taken the ziploc of  _ special _ cigarettes Armin had tried to foist upon him before they left. They might do his boyfriend some good. 

He hoped the alcohol might have a calming influence, but nothing seemed to remotely affect Levi's mounting anxiety. By the time the concierge collected them for their flight and they breezed through priority boarding, Levi had stress-sweated through his Brooks Brothers shirt. 

When the business class flight attendant asked if she could offer him anything, he nearly bit her head off. Eren leaned over apologetically from the window seat. 

"Please excuse my boyfriend, he doesn't fly well."

The woman gave him a sympathetic smile and drew back, handing him his orange juice. Eren turned to Levi irritated enough by his rudeness to actually rebuke him when he was brought up short by the look of unmitigated, choking,  _ terror _ on his face. His arms were around Levi in an instant and the older man didn't shake him off. 

"Oh my god, babe. I had  _ no _ idea it was this bad. Do you want to get off the plane?"

Levi shook his head against Eren's chest. It was almost indiscernible given how much the rest of his body was shaking. 

"W-w-we're going. It's  _ fine _ ."

"Is it like this every time?"

"M-m-more or less. Sometimes I f-faint."

"Oh babe…"

Eren bit his lip, guilt at having forced this trip on Levi, eating away at him. 

"Do you have any pills you can take?"

He shook his head again.

"The only ones that work knock me out entirely and I-I-I have to know if-if something happens...I  _ can't _ be out-"

Eren nodded. He thought back to when he was little and he used to be terrified of hurricanes. What was it his mother would tell him?

"I understand. Shhh. It's okay. How about this? How about you close your eyes and you let me tell you what's happening, ok? That way you don't have to see it and you can pretend like we're somewhere else. And I  _ promise _ , I will tell you if something bad happens."

Levi whimpered softly and gripped his shirt. Eren mused aloud.

"Ok, babe, so where are we? Are we at home? In the office? Maybe we are on the boat and the water is just a little bit choppy?"

He could barely hear Levi's pained whisper.

" _ Just with you _ ."

They fell silent for a moment when the flight attendant appeared again. 

"Excuse me, sir, you need to stow your tray table for takeoff."

Eren took care of what he had to and without asking permission pulled Levi down into his lap. He lay there motionless, nearly hyperventilating as the flight attendants went through their spiel and the plane taxied to the runway. He opened his window and looked out, his excitement at flying for the first time only slightly dampened by Levi's aviophobia. 

It was a little disappointing that he couldn't fully share this experience with his boyfriend, but they were still together and that's all that mattered. He ran his fingers through Levi's silky hair and rubbed soothing circles into his shoulder. He pitched his voice low enough so that only Levi could hear him.

"Okay, we're pulling out onto one of the side runways now...passing a plane that's being stocked with luggage.  _ Hmm _ , I wonder who the pink suitcase belongs to...yeesh! I hope nothing fragile was inside, really those handlers should be more careful."

Eren felt Levi still and then what could have sounded like the hint of a chuckle. Encouraged, he continued narrating the view, spicing it up with satirical musings whenever he could. He could feel Levi's breaths become sharp again as the plane sped down the runway and finally lifted into the air. Levi pressed his face into Eren's body, gripping his shirt hard enough to tear the material. Eren never stopped talking, or caressing his scalp, back and shoulders. 

After about forty solid minutes of describing different cloud shapes and comparing them to ocean waves, Eren felt Levi finally relax, and to his intense surprise, fall asleep. His boyfriend wasn't really a napper, but the intensity of the stress he was experiencing must have completely exhausted him. He fell silent, relaxing now and continued to rhythmically move his fingers. 

Eren was on the verge of dozing off himself when the flight attendant who brought the juice leaned across Levi's seat with a smile. 

"Excuse me, sir, can I get you anything from the menu?"

Eren wasn't particularly hungry and in any event, it wasn't worth the risk of jostling his sleeping seatmate. 

"I think I'm okay, actually, I don't want to bother him."

The flight attendant pressed her lips together and was about to back away, but seemed to change her mind at the last minute. 

"I um...I hope I'm not out of line saying this, but I just want you to know that all of us up in the Galley are  _ so _ impressed with you. We see a lot of couples come through here and I've never seen someone who looked so devoted to their partner. God bless you both."

Eren felt tears clog the back of his throat and gave her a watery smile. 

"That's...so kind of you to say. He...he's my everything."

The flight attendant smiled warmly at him one more time and withdrew. Eren leaned his head back once again, gazing out the window, too emotional to relax. He and Levi had been together just shy of seven months and he couldn't believe how much his life had changed in that time. It would have changed anyway, of course, with the transition from high school to college, but so much more had happened he could barely wrap his mind around it all. 

Since that first time he stepped into Levi's office, his whole life seemed to have taken on a surreal, dreamlike quality, almost as if he slipped into an alternate timeline that was running alongside the stream of his regular life. In the dream he had somehow been lucky enough to find the love of his life. He was winning WSL competitions and living with his billionaire boyfriend who took him on ski vacations. In reality he was still stuck at home, estranged from his family, stressed out and failing...his dreams withering to ash in the dumpster fire of his life.

He could see the other course, the other ending so clearly. It was crazy to think that instead of  _ that _ being reality and  _ this _ being a dream, that  _ this _ was his reality and the  _ other _ just a nightmare. 

Levi shifted in his lap and took a shuddering breath but didn't awaken. Eren resumed his gentle massages with renewed vigor and he felt Levi's breathing even out once more. The solid weight of his boyfriend in his lap reminded him even more that all of this was  _ real _ and the man clutching him was  _ his _ and not some figment of his imagination. He knew it couldn't be a dream because even in his wildest dreams a person this terrified of flying wouldn't have been selfless enough to endure their worst fear just to make him happy. 

A slow smile curved Eren's lips as his gaze settled on the cloud filled dreamscape outside his window. Deep down, he always felt a bit like his relationship with Levi was terribly uneven. Levi had  _ everything _ and gave it all to Eren without even blinking. What could he give the man in return other than sex and companionship? Could so little for so much really make them even? Though now, drifting through the boundless skies, Eren found himself finally starting to understand what Isabel had tried to explain to him that day on the beach. For everything Levi had, until he came along, he never had someone who could be there for him the way Eren was right now.

Far from being turned off by Levi's vulnerability, he found it endearing and unbearably sweet. Finally, Levi needed  _ him _ and he delivered. He could be strong and soothing for Levi; he could be  _ his _ rock, when he needed one. He could love Levi more than anyone had ever loved him. More than anyone had ever loved anyone else, period. 

Suddenly it seemed quite fitting that they were surrounded by clouds. Eren didn't think he'd ever come down. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Le sigh. This story is turning me into a romantic 🙈.  
> ♡DiLo


	32. The Mile High Club

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi experiences some unexpected turbulence.

Levi awakened slowly, disoriented but for the moment, unwilling to make an effort to change his situation. He knew they had to get up and head to the airport, but just at the moment he wanted to stay exactly where he was. He could feel Eren surrounding him. He could smell his scent and lean into his softness and feel his boyfriend's nimble fingers caressing him.

He had managed to suppress his crippling phobia back enough to make the trip preparations, but as it always did, the fear crept in, paralyzing him and making him useless. It was so bad this time he had even dreamt the whole scenario: he arrived at the airport and got on the plane, only to be seized by terror so insidious he had embarrassed himself in front of the only person whose opinion he really cared about. 

A babble of sounds that didn't belong in his bedroom seeped through Levi's consciousness and his heart started to pound. Dread filled his throat with acid when he realized it had  _ not _ been a dream. Levi couldn't hear the horrifying mechanical buzz of the engines which meant they were  _ still _ on the tarmac in Miami and he  _ still _ had to spend four hours and thirty six minutes inside a giant, flying sardine can. 

Too stiff and uncomfortable to remain prone, he sat up slowly, giving Eren a moment to untangle his fingers from his hair. 

"Hey there, sleeping beauty. Welcome to Denver." 

Levi blinked into Eren's wide turquoise eyes, searching them for the truth. He had never known his boyfriend to be malicious or cruel, but what he was saying was  _ impossible _ …Levi stretched and cracked his neck before peering out the window. Sure enough, snow flurries were eddying outside, sizzling as they came in contact with the runway. He looked back at Eren, his eyes incredulous.

"I slept the whole way?"

"The whole way."

"On...your lap…"

"On my lap."

Levi felt the bile rise in the back of his throat at his own utter uselessness. 

"I'm  _ so _ sorry."

A little furrow of concern appeared between Eren's eyebrows. He lifted his hand and smoothed it across Levi's forehead, as if to erase his frown.

"I'm not."

Now that the fog of sleep was clearing from his mind, he realized that with the exception of some stiffness in his back and shoulders, he actually felt...all right. For the first time in his life, he had gotten through a flight feeling like he could actually walk off the plane unassisted. People started moving about the cabin in his peripheral vision, preparing to disembark, but they may as well have been alone on the aircraft. Levi could feel emotion clogging the back of his throat as he looked at the miracle that was his boyfriend. His voice dropped to an awed whisper.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

Eren leaned forward and touched their foreheads together, his voice equally hushed.

"Whatever  _ I _ did to deserve  _ you _ ."

° ☆ °

Denver International Airport was less crowded than MIA, but just as festively decorated. Levi lead Eren through the airport briskly, the younger man loquaciously opining about how exciting it was to see  _ mountains _ and how he couldn't  _ wait _ to touch snow. It was so adorable, it took every bit of self control Levi possessed to not stop in the middle of the airport and kiss the boy senseless.

He still couldn't believe he had slept through an  _ entire _ nearly cross-country flight. It made him feel buoyant and somehow a little less worried about the thirty four minute flight to Telluride. 

After collecting their suitcases from the baggage claim, they made their way over to departures where Levi stepped up to the charter concierge.

"Good afternoon sir, how may I help you?"

Levi pulled out his ID again and laid it on the counter.

"We have a charter reserved for this afternoon to Telluride. Two passengers. Ackerman."

The man flashed them a blinding smile and entered their information on his computer screen.

"Here you are. Welcome to Denver. Did you have a pleasant flight out?" 

Levi grimaced but Eren, unable to contain his excitement answered enthusiastically.

"It was  _ great _ ! Smooth sailing...well there was some turbulence when we hit the mountains. Which are  _ so _ incredible."

The concierge looked at Eren with professional amusement.

"First time across the Rockies?"

"First time  _ flyer _ ."

The man raised his eyebrows and chuckled

"Well you are definitely ripping off the Band-Aid. The flight into Telluride is breathtaking. You'll never experience anything quite like it…"

Levi felt himself going green as the man regaled Eren with flight details that included a navigational course through the mountains and a runway dangling over thousand foot cliffs. Of course, he knew all of this, having experienced it several times (thus compounding the horror with real life experience) but Eren was eating this shit up. 

"All right, we're all set then. The flight conditions should be favorable for the next few hours at least. Did you gentlemen want to grab lunch before you fly?"

Levi was already shaking his head. The only thing worse he could imagine than the flight he was about to take, was taking it on a full stomach. Contrary to his usual habit, he didn't even bother to ask Eren's opinion. 

"We want to set off directly."

The concierge tried not to let his smile falter but Levi had used up all his patience for the day.

"Right. Of course sir. Please, follow me. Do you need assistance with your luggage?"

Levi waved the man off and they followed him to a sectioned off area outside the main terminal where a car was waiting. A chauffeur stowed their bags while he and Eren slipped into the back. He leaned back for a moment and closed his eyes, resting his head against the leather interior. He  _ needed _ to control his anxiety. He  _ knew _ that and yet it was impossible. A warm body pressing against him distracted him from his mental anguish. 

Eren's lips brushed against his ear as arms wound around his neck. Eren whispered something against his skin that he couldn't quite hear.

"Hm?"

"I'm wearing a  _ jacket _ in  _ December _ ."

Levi's lips twitched. He couldn't help it.

"People wear jackets in the winter, brat."

"It was seventy five degrees when we left home."

Levi opened his eyes, which was clearly the right thing to do at the moment because brilliant turquoise eyes were inches from his face. 

"Who taught you how to be so fucking cute all the time, bright eyes?" 

Eren smiled as he leaned over further for a kiss. 

"If I told you, you'd leave me for the master."

Levi grumbled  _ impossible _ and closed his eyes again, savoring the feel of his boyfriend's lips against his. The softness disappeared all too soon, as the car pulled up outside the Signature hangar. Eren was out on the tarmac in an instant, eyes wide and delighted at the tiny snow flurries swirling around the sleek looking Cessna Citation. 

Two professional aviators stood beside the aircraft looking just as impressive as their plane. They both introduced themselves and the copilot went off to help their driver stow the luggage properly. The pilot led them on to the craft explaining that on such a short flight they wouldn't have any service, which was just fine with Levi. In what felt like a moment, but also simultaneously about a hundred years, they were seated. As the main hatch was closed his heart rate spiked dangerously. 

Levi was minimally cognizant of the pilots closing themselves in the front compartment as his vision started to tunnel. He could feel his breath starting to come in gasps when he was yanked directly out of his panic attack by hands on either side of his face. 

" _ Levi _ . Levi it's Eren. Look at me. Focus on  _ me _ ."

"E-Eren?"

Startlingly gorgeous eyes captured him and refused to let him go.

"Breath with me, babe.  _ Focus _ . That's right."

Levi tried to match his breaths to the subtle rise and fall of Eren's chest. It helped a little...but not much.

"Eren...I-I can't-"

"Shhhh. Let's do what we did this morning. Close your eyes. It's just me and you. There's nobody else here. Where are we?" 

Levi squeezed his eyes shut.

"I...I...home?"

"Good perfect. We're back at home." 

The plane's engines rumbled to life and Levi felt sweat break out all over his body. Over to his left he heard Eren mumble,  _ this isn't going to work _ . He couldn't agree more. He was a fucking lost cause, to consumed by terror to even care about how much he was embarrassing himself. The hands disappeared from his face and he reeled for a moment but kept his eyes closed. A frantic rustling next to him was quickly overshadowed in his mind as the plane started taxiing toward the runway way. 

A soft weight settled in his lap. Levi gasped so his lips were parted when Eren kissed him, wrenching his head back and swiping his tongue into Levi's mouth. He melted into it for a moment, distracted before he broke the kiss, and opened his eyes. 

"Eren, what-"

"I'm distracting you."

Levi's tortured mind was torn.

"How...how can you even  _ think _ of this sort of thing right now?"

Eren's arms slid around his neck, pulling his tie loose, and dropped his voice to a seductive purr.

"How can I not? Don't you want to join the Mile High Club with me, babe?"

Levi shifted, getting hard despite himself. 

"Everywhere you have sex in Colorado is a mile high…"

Eren raised an eyebrow at him. 

"Then we'll join it a hundred times. Starting now."

Levi was going to protest but Eren wouldn't let him. He pressed in for another kiss, grinding down on top of Levi, swirling his hips like a lap dancer. He dropped his head to the side.

"Will you keep your eyes closed for me, babe?"

Levi tried not to whimper, but couldn't pretend that that wasn't what it sounded like. He shook his head, his eyelids frozen with fear like the rest of him.

"I was thinking you would say that."

He slipped Levi's loosened tie up the column of his throat and secured it over his eyes, pulling it tight at the side of his head. His voice was a low sing-song croon that Levi felt in his bones.

"Just relax and listen to the sound of my voice, babe. I'm gonna take good care of you. You said that we're at home…"

Eren unbuttoned his collar and his lips descended to suck on Levi's neck.

"Where are we doing these naughty things, daddy?"

A hand ran down Levi's chest, rubbing his nipples through the stiff material.

"Are we in bed?  _ No _ ...the bed's not really our style."

Fingers tweaked and fondled him, tracing his muscles through his shirt. Levi's mind focused on the sensory deprivation, never knowing where hands would touch him next.

"Maybe we're in the shower or the pool? No. We're in the office."

Levi groaned when he felt Eren's teeth nip at his ear. The weight was gone from his lap but nimble fingers pulled at his belt, shifting him slightly to get his pants down. A second rustle was a counterpoint to Eren's continued narration.

"You've been working  _ all day  _ and I've just arrived home...after  _ hours _ of surfing. My hair is tangled from the wind and my skin is hot from the sun. I was going to take a shower to clean myself up, I was so, so  _ dirty. _ Then I heard you on a work call…"

Levi moaned when his erection hit the air. Eren sucked the tip, sending a jolt of pleasure through his body.

"You crooked your finger at me and I came in to see what you wanted. What did you want, daddy?"

Levi nearly choked on his gasp as Eren paused to deep-throat him.

" _ You _ ...a-always you."

He felt Eren's hot breath against his cockhead.

"Of course. So you put the call on speaker, but  _ not _ on mute, so we had to be very, very quiet. Can we be quiet?"

Levi huffed, perfectly picturing the scene Eren was describing. 

" _ I _ can...but not you…"

Eren chuckled darkly and it raised goosebumps on Levi's flesh under his shirt.

"So true. Not when  _ you're _ fucking me, daddy, I lose my mind."

Which is just about what happened to Levi when the weight was on his lap again and Eren lowered himself, guiding Levi's cock inside him inch by inch.

" _ Fuck...baby _ …"

Eren's lips were next to his ear again, warm breath tickling his neck and fingers gripping his shoulders for support. 

"I can  _ never _ stay quiet with  _ ahh _ ! This cock inside m-me."

Eren rode him, pulling up and sinking down into a deep grind, engulfing Levi in his heat over and over again. Erotic moans and whispers of filth assaulted Levi's ears. Eren was everywhere. He felt the younger man start to falter and shake, his voice ragged and husky.

" _ P-please daddy, help me _ ."

Levi realized he had hardly moved, his fingers gripping the arms of his chair so tightly they almost felt numb. He cursed under his breath and pried them off, his mind completely blank but for the overriding need to slam into the body poised above his. He didn't need his vision to know what sight lay before him. Eren, messy and gloriously flushed, his lips swollen and his eyes wide and dripping with tears.

He gripped his boyfriend's hips and held him steady taking control of his saucy power bottom and thrusting into him ruthlessly. 

" _ Nnnnnnnngh _ " 

Eren cursed and moaned and gripped his hair, tugging it by the roots as he was sloppily pounded. Levi growled at him as he moved.

"I'll  _ fucking _ help you, baby. I'll fucking tenderize this ass night and day."

"L-Levi I'm gonna cum…"

" _ Fuck _ , baby, cum for daddy."

The fingers disappeared from his hair and he felt Eren's ass clamp down on him when he was nearly pulled out to the tip. The body in his arms quivered and sank down, insides twitching and gripping his cock until he spilled himself deep inside.

Levi felt like he was floating. He wanted to hold the younger man, but the weight was gone from his lap almost immediately. His mind swam as he pulled his pants up, his fingers shaking slightly as he notched his belt closed, still high from his orgasm. 

A strange lurch in his stomach had Levi clawing the silk from his face. His eyes snapped open just in time to see their jet hurtling toward the side of a cliff and overshooting it by what looked like  _ inches _ to land safely on the runway. He swiveled his head around wildly to see Eren seated serenely in the seat next to his, eyes trained on the window, with an utterly fucked out expression on his face. 

All evidence of their frantic coupling was completely gone as the aircraft rolled into the terminal. Levi watched Eren incredulously as they disembarked, the younger man glancing back to smile shyly at him and wink, before heading toward the car waiting for them just off the runway.

"Welcome to Telluride. I hope you enjoy your stay." 

Levi grinned at the pilot and nodded, feeling giddy and relaxed, his tie still gripped in his fist.

"Thank you, I think I will."

Before he stepped away the pilot looked at him curiously.

"Didn't feel too much turbulence back there, I hope. It was a pretty bumpy flight."

Levi smirked, his mind awash with the feel of Eren's quivering body on top of him.

"Was it? I didn't notice."

He turned and walked off, leaving the pilot open-mouthed behind him.


	33. Like A Symphony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren experiences snow for the first time.

From the moment Eren stepped off the plane, he could feel the magic of Telluride. Walking through town was like stepping into the scene on the front of a Christmas cookie tin. The people were happy and friendly, the shops and restaurants were quaint, and the mountains that ringed the valley were magnificent. The sheer magnitude of the hulking behemoths of rock took Eren's breath away. Literally. The ambient altitude was so high above sea level and the air so thin it took him several days to just breathe properly. Luckily, Levi was in no hurry to hit the slopes, content to just follow Eren around town and explore this novel environment with him, while they both acclimated.    
Those first few days were a genuine struggle to not be completely overwhelmed by the physical environment. Annie's brother Keith's house was set into the side of a mountain, a luxurious lodge crafted from stone, wood, and glass that had views of the slopes, peaks, and skies above and the twinkling lights of the town below. It had five master suites, a huge great room with a massive stone fireplace and a jacuzzi large enough to fit 20 people on the main deck. Every room had the same spectacular view.    
Everything about Colorado was amazing and so completely different from Florida it seemed like another planet. Where Florida was flat, Colorado was mountainous; one was bright and tropical while the other was crisp and ambient. Even colors looked different; the sunsets that creeped over the mountains lighting the heavens with red and orange fire, seemed more intense than the ones at home. 

And the  _ snow _ . 

Eren resolved to never make fun of Connie again for being fascinated by palm trees. It was everywhere. On the ground and the rooftops, in the trees, and stretching in great oceans up the slopes to meld with the cloudy sky. The water would always be his first love, but her cold, crusty cousin was becoming his second.    
Seeing Levi in an environment surrounded by his own friends rather than work colleagues or Eren's peers was a revelation. Even though Erwin, Moblit, and Zoe all worked with Levi, away from the office and out of context they were obviously all very good friends. The gloves came off and Levi's dry wit and biting sarcasm came to the fore. They all ribbed each other mercilessly. Eren would have thought none of them really liked each other at all, if they didn't seem to all genuinely enjoy it. For the first time he felt like he was seeing Levi and not some watered down, polite, public version he adopted for strangers, or the 'benevolent patriarch' mode he inevitably slipped into around his family.   
It was different, but it suited him. Eren loved it just as much as he loved every other part of him.   
Zoe was her usual quirky self, causing a delightful ruckus everywhere she went, asking embarrassing, pointed questions when far too many people were listening and leading poor, long suffering Moblit around by the nose. Erwin and Annie disappeared for long spans of time together but when they were in the common areas they tended to split up, Erwin spending most of his time relaxing with Levi or Keith.    
The Shadis family were lovely people (Keith and Annie had different fathers but were raised together). Annie's brother had her blonde hair but the resemblance ended there. He was quite a few years older (Eren assumed he was closer to Kenny's age than Levi's) and seemed unassuming at first, until you put him in a kitchen. Keith, it turns out, was a James Beard Award winning chef who owned several restaurants all up and down the west coast. He had the intensity of Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen and could talk endlessly about molecular gastronomy. His wife Melanie was (hilariously) a food critic and travel journalist who had published several books on international cuisine.    
Eren found himself spending most of the time he wasn't curled up next to Levi with the Shadis kids, Lillian and Derrick who were sixteen and fifteen respectively. They were sweet and unaffected and got along with each other better than most siblings. They were eager to learn about surfing while the three of them raced around the slope in front of the house clobbering each other with snowballs, only retreating to the warmth of the house when the sun began to dip below the horizon.   
Eren stepped out of the steaming shower, glad to be warm and dry again after a particularly intense snow battle had exploded the slippery ice crystals down the back of his neck, up his sleeves and inside his boots. He was surprised to see Levi reclining on their bed flipping through a travel magazine. A cheery fire crackled in the fireplace across from the bed creating a pleasantly rustic ambiance. Levi's slate gray eyes flicked up when he entered the room.    
"I wish I had known you were taking a shower. I would have joined you."   
Eren smiled shyly and made his way to the bed, regretting that he already pulled on a pair of pajama pants before entering the room. It would have been much sexier if he could have dropped his towel and sacheyed across the floor completely naked.    
"Sorry. My only thought was warmth."   
"Mmm."   
Eren climbed onto the large bed and hovered over Levi's stretched out body on all fours. The altitude had had the unexpected consequence of affecting both of them intimately for the last few days. It was hard to keep  _ it _ up if even after a few minutes of heavy breathing you felt lightheaded and on the verge of fainting. Levi assured him they would both be back to normal as soon as their bodies acclimated. Since he had been feeling good enough to run around in the snow, maybe it would no longer be a problem.    
Levi pulled him down into a slow, syrupy kiss, caressing his back and shoulders with his chilly fingers. Eren shivered.    
"Your hands are cold."   
Levi raised an eyebrow at him.   
"Says the kid who spent hours playing in the snow."   
Eren pouted.   
"It wasn't  _ hours _ …"   
"It  _ was _ hours. I know exactly how long it was because I spent the whole time thinking about all the delightfully erotic things I was going to do to you when I could finally peel off all your clothes."   
With a tug and effortless flip, Levi reversed their positions and pinned Eren lightly to the bed, nuzzling into his neck so he could work his way down, leaving a line of kisses from his ear to his clavicle. Eren shifted under him restlessly.    
" _ Mmmm _ . Hey, Levi? Does it bother you that I'm spending time with Derrick and Lilly?"   
Levi spoke between kisses, licking Eren's nipple lightly and causing him to whine.   
"Why would it?"   
"Nnngh. Uhm I don't know, cause we're here to hang out with your friends…"   
Levi sat up on his elbows and looked Eren in the eye.    
"Baby, my friends are  _ my _ friends. Nobody said you needed to hang out with them. Most of the time  _ I  _ don't even want to hang out with them. If you...understandably...have more in common with a couple of teenagers than a bunch of crusty thirty year olds, why should it bother me?"   
Eren frowned, all the sexual tension draining out of his body. Levi felt his vibe shift and rolled off him, sitting up against the headboard.    
"I don't think you're crusty."   
Levi smiled and ruffled his hair.    
"I'm not talking about me. You can't apply what we have to other people."   
Levi paused thoughtfully, clearly trying to figure out how to word what he was going to say.   
"This is easy for us, right?"   
Eren tilted his head in confusion.   
"This,  _ us _ . It's easy. For whatever reason it just works. Right?"   
"Yes…?"   
"What I mean is, we never had to force this relationship to work. It just does. Our bodies fit together, our thoughts, our...feelings. Things that I never thought twice about before I met you and things I was never able to tolerate before are interesting and engaging for me because of you."   
Eren sat up and slid his hand over Levi's on the bed.   
"I feel the same way."   
Levi's lips twitched into a crooked smirk that twisted Eren's heart.   
"So we shouldn't try to force ourselves to be something we think the other person wants, right? Cause I… _ adore _ the part of you that wants to have snowball fights, okay? Even if I have no interest in being a part of the battle."    
Eren nodded, emotion pounding thickly in his veins. He had been so desperately in love with this man for so long it was almost painful not to be able to say it.    
"Levi, I-"   
"I never did say thank you, by the way, for how you helped me get through those flights. You...you're like a  _ miracle _ Eren. Nobody has ever been able to handle me like that. You just...thank you for being there for me."   
Levi's voice was low and quiet and he stared at the bedspread, probably not expecting a response. A log collapsed in the grate sending up a shower of sparks, its creaking, cracking sound the loudest thing in the room. Eren swallowed the lump in his throat and lifted the hand which wasn't grasping Levi's to brush his boyfriend's silky hair off his forehead. He took a breath into the stillness.    
"I love you."   
Levi let out his breath in a low hiss and looked up at him, his starlight eyes shining with unshed tears through his dusky lashes. It would have taken Eren's breath away if he had any breath left.   
He didn't have to wonder if Levi was going to say it back. Without having moved at all they were in each other's arms, gripping and squeezing as though their lives depended on it. He could feel Levi's lips against him, spilling the words as he brushed them against his nose, lips, and cheeks, like a symphony.   
The earth turned and the sun set over the mountains. The fire burned and two hearts beat as one.   
  
"I love you."

° ☆ °

Eren was wrapped around Levi's body, arms and legs locked and squeezing tightly. His head was tilted lazily to the side breathing him in as their heart's slowed. They hadn't sweat much, but Eren could feel the languorous pull of his semen as it slithered between them. Levi was not yet fully soft inside him and so they waited, getting their breath and calming their hearts as their minds returned to their bodies. They learned long ago that pulling out when Levi was still hard was just too painful for Eren's sensitized flesh.    
The older man stroked his back and kissed his hair. A soft knock at the door had them both flinching. Eren recognized Derrick's muffled voice through the barrier.    
"Hey, Eren, dinner in ten!"   
Eren lifted his head to free his mouth and called back, careful not to slur his words.   
"Thanks, be right there!"   
The interruption hastened the decoupling process. Levi slid to the side of the bed and swung his legs over, mumbling his discontent as he stood up, bearing Eren's entire weight in his arms, and carried him to the bathroom before he could unlock his limbs. Eren hung on and giggled before sliding to the floor and stepping back.   
"I don't understand how you're so strong…"   
He giggled again, his face turning bright red. He really did love being manhandled. Levi narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips.   
"I don't understand how you're still so light. You're all muscle now."   
Eren shuffled self-consciously.   
"Is...is that bad? I thought you like-"   
"I Like it, baby. Now stop being so cute or you're not going to make it to dinner."   
Eren bit his lip and considered how hungry he actually was but Levi was already busying himself in front of his bowl of the double sink. He could probably (no, definitely) have seduced his boyfriend away from it for another round (or five) but his rumbling stomach made up his mind for him. They'd have plenty of time for sex all night...and for the next two weeks.    
They cleaned themselves and got dressed, only realizing that they had both chosen blue chinos and black sweaters when they were upstairs and in sight of the rest of the house party. Zoe descended on them like a vulture.   
"Oh. My. God. You two are so adorable I'm molting."   
Levi huffed in annoyance but Eren grinned at her word choice. If Zoe Hanji was an animal she would definitely be some brightly colored tropical bird that swooped and screeched and molted. But even being called out for their accidental matching didn't sour the mood between them. They were not usually very handsy in 'public' but after the confessions of the last hour, Eren felt the compulsion to be as close to Levi as possible. Eren didn't think saying the words ' _ I love you _ ' out loud would make that big of a difference, since they had been dancing around them for months, but he was wrong.    
Whereas before he could feel his love for Levi in every cell of his body, now he felt like he and Levi were the contact wires of an incandescent light bulb, energy arcing and leaping between them in a brightly burning filament only they could see.    
He headed to the kitchen to help set the table with Lillian and Derrick before plopping down in the empty seat next to Levi. The conversation was bright and lively. Annie turned to Eren, her eyes bright despite her typically laconic facial expression.   
"I just can't wait to hit the slopes tomorrow, I'm chafing for a good run. Are you going to join us Eren?"   
Of all the people of Levi's acquaintance, Eren had found himself becoming surprisingly close with Annie. If Levi could get over her relationship with Erwin, he had a feeling he would like her too.    
"Actually I'm not really sure...I'm so new at all this I don't even know where to start."   
Lillian leaned in from across the table.    
"Uh, hello! Deri and I are taking you boarding, obviously. It's already been decided."   
Eren bit his lip and suppressed the urge to look at Levi. He  _ was _ more interested in snowboarding than skiing, already being an athlete in a board sport, but Levi would be skiing tomorrow and he didn't really want to be away from him all day. Not that he would be able to do much anyway, having never strapped on a pair of skis in his life, but in the back of his mind he had been planning to wheedle a skiing lesson out of his boyfriend. Levi's hand on his thigh distracted him from his protest.   
"I think that's a great idea, Eren. I'll tame the mountain with these jokers while you get your snow legs and then they'll leave me alone for a few days so I can watch your progress from the lodge."   
Levi's comment was greeted by boos and shouts of disdain from his friends, insisting that there was no way they would let him get away with only skiing once. Levi stuck to his guns,   
"Look, the only thing I hate more than  _ sand _ is  _ snow _ . Both are tolerable from a reasonable distance but sand gets  _ everywhere _ and snow is  _ cold _ , and  _ wet _ . If I'm going to be wet, I don't also want to be wearing five layers of clothing."   
Everyone chuckled and Eren leaned into Levi enjoying his curmudgeonly attitude. He knew Levi would ski with his friends anyway, the same way he had been braving whole days at the beach with him. If he wanted to gripe about it, Eren wasn't going to hold it against him. The only thing he wanted to hold against him was his naked, sweat slicked body.    
The dinner progressed cheerily, Eren speaking mostly to Annie or Derrick. At one point, Levi reached over and tucked a few errant strands of hair behind Eren's ear and kissed his cheek. He felt eyes on him, but when he looked up everything appeared normal so he shrugged it off. They served dessert and ended the night sipping wine in front of the grand fireplace before everyone turned in early to be up at dawn. 


	34. To Hell You Ride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren learns how to snowboard.

The morning dawned bright and clear and the skiers and snowboarders split into two groups; the skiers would divide again at the next peak based on ability. When Eren had expressed disbelief the previous night that Levi would be with the double black diamond group, his boyfriend rolled his eyes. 

"Eren, I grew up an hour from Montreal. Everyone skis."

While Levi was flying swiftly down the mountainside, Eren was remembering the painstaking years of being a grommet. For the first four hours he definitely spent more time on his back in the snow than actually on his feet, embarrassingly unable to get used to being  _ attached _ to the board he was supposed to be riding. Finally after a hasty lunch at the resort, the technique and weight distribution finally clicked and Eren could see why people loved this sport as much as surfing.    
Lillian had been reserved and distracted during lunch, which Eren brought up when he and Derrick were on the lift to the top of the green course.   
"Hey man, is everything okay with Lily? She seems to be acting kind of weird."   
He couldn't really see the younger man too well past all the gear they were wearing and holding, but Eren could sense the kid's hesitancy.   
"Nah she's just weird in general. But actually, I was kinda wondering something, bro...don't like, be offended or anything, but isn't your dad kinda handsy?"   
Eren coughed out a confused laugh.   
"My dad? I have no idea I haven't seen my dad in like ten...years…"   
A beat of silence ticked by as the lift shuddered slightly and Eren erupted into a fit of giggles, loud enough to echo across the snowy mulch beneath them. He desperately hoped his tears wouldn't freeze to his face.   
"You...haha...think I'm here with my... pfahaha...my dad. Oh my god. Sorry, I can't breath."   
He wheezed for another moment, struggling to control himself. Derrick was looking at him like he was insane.    
"He's not...your dad?"   
Eren took a breath and then another, finally able to speak without laughing again.   
"Nah dude, Levi and I are  _ together _ . He's my boyfriend."   
Derrick blinked at him stupidly for a minute. His blank expression morphed into one of red-faced panic.   
"I...I'm really sorry man...I uhm, didn't mean to be offensive…"   
Eren shrugged it off, his mirth added to by the memory of the hotel receptionist in Cocoa Beach.    
"Nah man, no offense taken at  _ all _ . Actually we get that a lot, even though we look  _ nothing _ alike. It's hard for people to get over the age gap thing, but it doesn't bother us, so whatever."   
Derrick nodded solemnly and Eren had the strange feeling he was teaching this fifteen year old kid something about life. He waited for the question he knew would be next.   
"So...so you guys are  _ gay _ ?"   
He said the word 'gay' in an undertone, almost as though he didn't want anyone on the naked mountainside to hear. Eren smiled sweetly.   
"Don't tell me I'm the first gay guy you've met, Deri, you guys live in California."   
Derrick shook his head, wide-eyed and vehement.   
"No! Oh my god, of course not, and I have no problem with it or anything...I mean, why would I? It's just...I think that's why Lilly is acting weird. I think she's got a bit of a thing for you but she was weirded out by the way you were acting with your da- ah...your um, Mr. Ackerman. But I mean, either way it's not like you'd be interested since you're...into guys."   
Derrick trailed off awkwardly.   
"Yeah. Wow. Okay. Do you think I should talk to her?"   
Derrick shook his head vehemently. Eren recognized a certain glint in his eye that he knew well from being a younger brother himself.   
"Allow me."   
They snickered together for a moment before hopping off at their lift stop, an experience that was more harrowing than Eren had originally anticipated. Lillian was waiting for them at the top, looking sleek and professional in her gear.    
She and Derrick were ready to ride, but Eren pulled back, reluctant to go too close to the edge. All around him, kids on skis and boards half his height were kicking off and flying fearlessly down the mountain. He shook his head.   
"Ahh...I don't know about this guys...I don't think I'm ready to be up here."   
Derrick pushed his goggles up his face and frowned.   
"But dude, don't surfers take on walls of water this high all the time?"   
Eren swallowed uneasily. Derrick wasn't wrong, but for some reason the snow on the surface of the mountain looked a whole lot more intimidating than the shifting, undulating ocean waves off of Space Coast.    
"I mean, yeah, but the water moves under you...you're not purposely launching yourself off a cliff and then relying on gravity."   
Lillian raised an eyebrow.   
"Maybe it's me but that sounds a lot more terrifying."   
Eren shrugged. He had to admit it kinda did. Derrick walked up beside him.    
"You've just gotta relax man. Look at how beautiful it is here. You're about to conquer the mountain. Do you know how this town got its name?"   
Eren looked at him with interest.   
"Telluride?"   
"When the gold miners came through here in the eighteen fifties the locals would wave them through the treacherous mountain passes yelling, "To hell, you ride!" Once the skiers overtook the place, it took on a whole new meaning. When you're facing a dangerous pass, you appease the ghosts of the miners by yelling their greeting."   
Eren nodded his head slowly, muttering the phrase beneath his breath until the words blended into the name of the town. He definitely appreciated a good ghost story, surfers were a superstitious bunch. He lifted his eyes to the huge panorama of snow and sky, letting the breathtaking views seep into his body and ignite his excitement. Once he let go of his fear, he could feel his body again, the same he could when he caught the waves. Derrick noticed the change in him and slipped his goggles down.   
"He's ready. See you at the bottom."   
The three of them readied their gear and snapped onto their boards. With one final glance at the horizon, Eren angled his body and watched as his new friends tipped over the edge. He felt his lungs expand for the space of one heartbeat and launched himself off the side of the cliff, bellowing at the top of his lungs as the air whipped past his body,

" _ TO HELL YOU RIDE _ !"

° ☆ °

Levi stood in front of the massive stone fireplace in the main resort lodge, warming his back, his hands wrapped around the pleasant heat of his tea cup.   
The day had been a great success. Zoe, Annie, Moblit, and Melanie had peeled off on the intermediate lift peak and he, Erwin, and Keith had continued to climb.   
Telluride was a warren of trails and switchbacks that provided hours of challenging runs nestled between stunning cliffs and sparse evergreen forests. The quiet, mostly untouched trails were a welcome respite from the joyful clamor of the house. His body ached in all the right places having received the type of workout he hadn't gotten since battling the waves with Eren.    
Their groups agreed to meet up at the resort after the day on the slopes and then split up from there to their various nighttime activities. Keith and Melanie headed home for a quiet dinner, Zoe and Moblit set out to relax in a local pub, and Erwin and Annie vanished, as usual, without explanation. Levi found himself alone to await the arrival of the tardy snowboarders.   
He changed out of his gear and stowed it in their rented LandRover, before heading back inside to order himself a warm beverage. It felt good to be out of his heavier clothing and able to move unrestricted. His tea was still warm when Eren trudged into the lodge looking sweaty and exhausted but happy.    
Levi caught his eye and he made his way over to the fireplace, seating himself heavily on one of the artfully arranged sofas. Levi ambled over, watching with interest as his lover peeled off his outer layers of clothing and gear and pulled his hair loose of its messy bun. He exhaled in a gusty sigh and gave Levi his best tired smile.    
"Hey."   
Levi knelt slowly between Eren's knees, careful not to spill his tea and gave his boyfriend a lingering kiss. Eren moaned just slightly, scraping his chilled fingertips along the material of Levi's maroon, cable knit turtleneck.    
"Hey yourself, bright eyes. I was starting to think I'd have to send a St. Bernard out for you."   
Eren blinked his glazed, gorgeous eyes and bit his lip sheepishly.    
"I'm sorry, I was having such a good time. I had no idea snowboarding would be such a rush!"   
Levi balanced on the balls of his feet and rested his palms on Eren's knees while he looked him over. The other man did the same, staring at him as though trying to memorize his face.    
"No need to apologize. I'm glad you had fun. That's why we're here."   
Levi stood, lifting his tea to his lips and taking a sip. He was about to pace away but the brush of Eren's outstretched fingers across the material of his jeans stopped him. It wasn't insistent or demanding, but a delicate plea for closeness that Levi couldn't have denied if he wanted to. He placed his teacup down again and stepped between Eren's legs, bringing his hands to rest on the seated man's shoulders before pulling him into a tight embrace.    
Eren sighed and leaned into his chest, tentatively snaking his arms around Levi's waist. They held that position for a moment, Eren soaking in Levi's warmth for once, instead of the other way around. Levi ruffled his hair gently with one hand and felt the barest vibration of a moan in Eren's chest from where their bodies were pressed together. A blast of cool air from the door to the lodge sliding open reminded Levi that they were entering dangerously intimate territory for a family friendly space at seven pm.    
He backed up slightly and Eren dropped his arms. He studied Levi's jeans for a moment and then tipped his chin up, looking him in the eye through his thick chocolate lashes. Between his messy hair, chill-frosted cheeks and chapped lips he looked like a fucking work of art.    
"Levi...are...are you gonna to ski again tomorrow?"   
He shrugged and smoothed Eren's loose tendrils of hair back from his forehead, incapable of keeping his hands to himself.   
"I was actually planning on taking it easy tomorrow. We were pretty thorough today."   
"Oh…"   
A shadow passed over Eren's normally bright eyes. He sagged against the couch, dejected.   
"Use your words, baby."   
"No, it's nothing, really I-"   
" _ Eren _ ."   
The young man bit his lip and Levi had to ruthlessly suppress his body's instantaneous physical reaction.   
"I was just kind of hoping we could go out on the slopes together. I mean, I got pretty good at this whole thing today and I'm really excited to try it again but I really missed you and I don't want to be apart again for a whole day. I know I'll just slow you down-"   
Levi felt his stutter in his chest as Eren rambled. He knew for a fact that If this kid got any more adorable it would literally kill him.    
"Eren, Eren. Shhh. You won't slow me down. I have no reason to rush if we're together, baby."   
"So...we can go? Together?"   
Levi chuckled and ruffled Eren's hair again.   
"Have you honestly not realized by now that I can't deny you?"   
Eren's face lit up, but he still seemed reserved.   
"Are you sure you don't want to just take it easy tomorrow? If you need to rest…"   
Levi took a full step back this time, rested his hands on his hips and cocked his head to the side.   
"Don't check me into the nursing home yet, kid. I'll be fine. In fact, judging by the look on your face, I think we could both use some time in the jacuzzi tonight."   
Eren grinned at him, picking up his train of thought.   
"And then sleeping in for a bit before we hit the slopes tomorrow?"   
"Exactly what I was thinking."   
Levi grabbed his Arcteryx fleece from a nearby chair and slipped it on as Eren organized himself.   
"Where are the Shadis kids, anyway? I'm supposed to be bringing all three of you back to the house."   
Eren fell into step beside him and grinned, a small chuckle slipping from his lips as he answered.   
"Oh they had something to talk about. I told them to meet us by the car."   
"What's so funny?"   
Levi slipped their hands together as they walked out of the resort lodge and over to the LandRover where Derrick and Lillian were already waiting. Eren leaned in close and nuzzled his cheek playfully, kissing him full on the lips at the exact moment the Shadis kids caught sight of them.   
"I'll tell you later,  _ daddy _ ."    
Levi rolled his eyes and bundled everyone into the SUV, his thoughts full of soft giggles, jacuzzis and late mornings as they sped off into the night. If the girl in the back seat happened to be glaring at him and blushing hotly, he didn't even notice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovelies! Sorry for this little Ski Trip detour if you were expecting more fun in the sun. If there is any genre I would dedicate my time to outside of Romantic Fiction it would be Travel Writing. I hope you enjoyed this new environment for a bit, trapped as we all are inside our houses right now.  
> We will be back in Florida in the next chapter, after a little le time skip, brought to you by my desire to move this relationship along. See you then!
> 
> ♡DiLo


	35. A Birthday Surprise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren manages to be a bit of a romantic too.

Eren trailed his fingertips across the long table that adorned the living room wall. The Estate didn't have a fireplace, not even a decorative one, which was never given a second thought throughout the year, but was slightly inconvenient on Christmas. The stockings that would ordinarily be hanging over the mantle hung on the wall over the table, filled with small, silly gifts. Eren didn't have to peek inside to know what they held. Levi had gladly given over all decorative and gift giving privileges for the family solely into his capable hands. 

The stockings belonging to Levi and his siblings, Farlan, the Church children and the Vega family were now joined by one proudly bearing his name. But Eren wasn't focusing on the dozen or so festively embroidered stockings. His focus was on the framed pictures beneath them. His own face smiled back at him from the photographs, each a moment frozen in time that told a love story. 

_ His _ love story.

He skimmed across the picture of him and Levi kissing after his first competition win in Cocoa Beach, which they had purchased from the journalist who snapped the photo. It was one of Eren's favorites simply because they had no idea it was being taken. He passed over the shot of him and Levi on the beach in Hawaii, their most recent competition trip. He hadn't won that one, but had placed third - a decent showing since it was his first time catching the  _ big _ waves. They already had tickets to go to Australia this coming summer. Corinne and Davina would accompany them and give them the insider's view of surfing Down Under. He picked up the photo he had been searching for and gazed down into the frame.

He and Levi were on the floor in front of the fireplace in the Shadis lodge in Telluride. Levi was leaning casually against the hearth and Eren was laying across his legs. Their fingers were entwined and the flames crackled merrily behind them. Zoe had materialized out of nowhere and snapped the photo, but she had made enough noise that both he and Levi looked up directly into the camera, their eyes still shining with the love they had been directing toward each other.

The photo had been taken on Christmas Eve, exactly a year ago today. Exactly one year, seven months, and fourteen days since that one summer that he had walked into Levi's life and nothing had ever been the same. They hadn't returned to Colorado, opting to spend Christmas this year at home with family, but it would always be a special place to both of them. The place where they finally gave their love its proper name. 

Eren placed the photo down and turned toward the bustling scene behind him, the soft conversation, tinkling of glasses, and festive music flowing over him. A magnificent Christmas tree stood in the curved alcove festively adorned with chintz and ornaments. The house was full of him and Levi's friends and family, all adorned in their holiday best. Isabel wore a floor length green silk dress and Mikasa a matching one in red, mimicking the colors of the poinsettias strewn artfully about the house. The children flitted through the house, resplendent in their holiday finery. 

Kenny was sitting next to Eren's mom on the couch, both of them whispering to each other in low, intense voices. Everyone else had been surprised that they had stayed together all this time, but not Eren. Kenny was only the third person he could remember her dating since his father left. She would not have gone into a relationship lightly. 

Even Farlan had forsaken his cell phone for the night and leaned casually against the window chatting with Zeke.  _ That _ friendship had taken everyone by surprise. With Farlan's contacts in the field of Estate Law, Zeke had picked up several high profile real estate clients that significantly boosted his career. He was currently being courted by Sotheby's Realty to move his clients from Long and Foster. Eren had never seen him happier. 

Jean and Marco and Armin, Krista and Ymir had also survived the year. Eren suspected they were with the group that had flowed out onto the patio and down to the pool deck to enjoy the mellow evening warmth. Connie and Sasha were noticeably absent, spending the holidays with Connie's huge Italian family in their house on the Jersey Shore. They would make it back to Florida next week to spend the New Year with Sasha's huge Russian family. Eren sighed as arms slipped around him from behind. 

"What are you over here daydreaming about?"

Levi spoke close to his ear, his voice deep and velvety soft. It never failed to make Eren shiver.

"Telluride."

Levi pulled him around gently and searched his face, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Did you really want to go? I'm sorry… I thought we decided-"

Eren smiled and slid his arms around Levi's neck.

"No, it's not that, I didn't change my mind...I was just thinking about what a good time we had there and how much I love you."

Eren's breathing hitched as Levi's gray eyes melted into pools of liquid starlight. The arms around his waist gripped him with a new intensity.

"You can't say things like that in the middle of a party. How am I supposed to not drag you off and have my way with you?" 

Eren grinned and leaned forward brushing his lips against the corner of Levi's perfectly sculpted mouth.

"Maybe that's all part of my master plan."

The moment was interrupted by Carmen appearing in front of the kitchen and calling everyone to Christmas dinner. This year, like every other, Levi offered to cater Christmas so that she could have the holiday to relax and like every year she refused. Feeding 'her' family on Christmas was her pleasure; the Vegas had adopted the Ackermans the same way the Ackermans had adopted them. 

Levi kissed him softly on the lips and gave him a meaningful look, promising sweet retribution.

"Later."

Eren couldn't wait.

° ☆ °

Christmas morning dawned bright and clear over the bay as Levi rolled out of bed and stretched, displacing the soft bundle of blankets that held his sleepy boyfriend. He couldn't blame Eren for being sluggish. His young lover had given him his birthday present tirelessly last night, in every possible position they could achieve in this bed before falling asleep in a tangled, exhausted, heap. 

He showered and put on his 'Christmas pajamas' before heading downstairs to the tree that was already swarming with his niece and nephews. Ackerman family tradition was to gather around the tree as soon as light filled the sky, to open presents. Isabel and her family slept over last night, as they always did on Christmas, to fulfill tradition and celebrate Levi's birthday with him over breakfast. 

He always insisted everyone go home by eleven and this year was no exception, whether it was his fortieth birthday or not. He didn't like celebrating his birthday and a few hours masked by the excitement of Christmas morning was all he could spare. Eren seemed to have agreed to not make a big deal about it, but he still wasn't sure if his boyfriend had something up his sleeve. If he did, he had hidden it extremely well. 

Eren joined the family an hour into 'present opening,' looking delectable in blue silk pjs and sat back happily, not mentioning his birthday once. Breakfast was equally as quiet and by ten thirty the house was empty, save for the two of them. Kenny would spend the rest of the day with Carla, Mikasa was meeting up with her friends, and the Vegas retreated to their section of the Estate to celebrate privately. 

The first inkling that Eren might not have respected their agreed upon 'no present' rule was the guilty expression on his face when he tapped Levi on the shoulder. They were walking through the entry way after seeing everyone off. The young man bit his lip nervously.

" _ What _ , Eren?"

He followed Eren slowly back toward the living room while he deliberated silently. 

"So, I know you said not to get you anything for your birthday...or for Christmas...I  _ know _ we agreed...but I couldn't help it."

Levi pinched the bridge of his nose, frustration welling up in his chest. The two of them hardly ever argued. After working out most of the communication kinks early in their relationship there was hardly ever a reason. Levi knew that Eren's sweet, giving nature would struggle with his ban, but he didn't think he would so blatantly disregard a direct, serious request. Eren continued before he could say anything.

"But, here's the thing! It's just a  _ one time _ gift...it'll be good to cover all your birthdays and Christmases for a  _ long _ time." 

Levi narrowed his eyes at his boyfriend, confusion replacing his annoyance. Eren casually mentioning the future always caught him off guard. At first he thought Eren was saying things like that to finagle a deeper commitment out of him, but after a while he realized that it was just his boyfriend's way of speaking from the heart. Eren  _ always _ followed his lead, never insisting they take steps in their relationship like another lover would have. He was truly content just for them to be together; for him, their relationship was their commitment- not the other way around. 

"What did you do, Eren? What kind of gift works like that?"

Eren grinned then, his eyes lighting up, as he interpreted Levi's interest as acceptance. 

"You'll have to look under the tree."

Levi shook his head, astounded at himself at how much of a sap he'd become since meeting Eren. His own family had not  _ dared _ give him a birthday present in literally years. He approached the tree, surprised to see that there was indeed another box sitting right in the center under the bottom branches. It had clearly been placed there as everyone was leaving or else he definitely would have noticed it. It was around the size of a basketball and wrapped in shining silver paper that was topped by a sleek black and silver ribbon. 

"Don't...ah, don't lift the box...just open it…"

Levi rolled his eyes and crouched down next to the tree, untying the ribbon carefully. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Eren pull out his phone and the telltale flash that meant he had opened his camera. He was about to tell him to stop whatever it was he was doing when the lid of the box  _ moved _ under his hand  _ all by itself _ . 

"What…?"

His sentence and his thought process both trailed off eternally unfinished as the top of the box slid to the side revealing the soft head and bright, jewel green eyes of the tiniest, most perfect kitten Levi had ever laid eyes on. He gasped softly as those green eyes fixed on him and the kitten cried softly, scrabbling against the inside of the box with its oversized paws. He reached in and lifted it out gently, his hands sliding over the soft, fluffy fur. A small silver tag hung from a pink leather collar that circled the kitten's tiny neck.

" _ Hello you _ ...where did you come from?"

Levi spoke to Eren, unable to take his eyes off the tiny animal. If his voice cracked just a little, he didn't notice.

"You...you got me a  _ kitten _ ?"

He could hear the smile in Eren's voice. 

"She's all yours."

Levi felt like his heart was melting in his chest.

" _ She? _ Hello beautiful...welcome home…"

The kitten was small enough to stand up right in the palm of his hand. She meowed again and then snuggled her wet nose into his fingers, purring softly. She was an elegant creature, colored a soft grey, banded with black that ran from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail. 

Levi had never been so instantly and irrevocably in love in his life. He petted her and cuddled her as she nuzzled in his arms and rasped at his fingers with her rough little tongue. He started when Eren spoke, having completely forgotten the other man was there. 

"So...I did good?"

Levi stood, cradling the tiny bundle in his arms. He looked at his boyfriend with his heart in his eyes.

"Yeah...you did good. Thank you, baby. She's wonderful." 

Eren put his phone down and leaned forward for a kiss. Levi pulled back and frowned after their lips touched.

"Just  _ one _ question."

"Hmm?"

"How long has  _ my _ kitten been trapped inside this box?"


	36. A Kitten Sized Problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren comes to regret his romantic gesture.

Eren groaned and smacked his head against the counter at Surf Shack. Armin walked up behind him after setting down the boxes he carried in from the storeroom and ruffled his hair. Krista crouched by the top box, sliding it open with a box cutter and passing the contents to Ymir who was helping her stock shelves. 

"Buck up, buddy, it can't be that bad. We all knew Levi would find someone else eventually."

Eren gave him a dirty look and Ymir and Krista giggled at their boyfriend's playful callousness. 

"I have to admit, I never thought your replacement would be  _ female _ …"

"Have I told you today you're an asshole?"

Armin grinned at him, unperturbed.

"Dude. You are jealous of a  _ cat _ . A cat that  _ you _ bought." 

Krista and Ymir's giggles turned into full out laughter now. Eren sat up and clenched his fists impotently.

"It's not funny! I can never even get  _ near _ Levi anymore. That furry little devil spawn has it in for me."

Ymir caught his eye and shrugged sympathetically, her southern drawl tainted with amusement.

"It's only been a few weeks, Eren."

"Humph."

Eren rested his chin on his hands and stared angrily at nothing. He was enjoying seeing his friends, especially since he never spent weekends at the Shack anymore, but the fact that Minnie had run him out of his own home was grating on his nerves. Not  _ Minnie _ , he mentally corrected himself, Minerva Sage Ackerman. Just naming the kitten had taken days of discussion. Finally, outing himself as a secret Potterhead, Levi had settled on naming her after the famous Animagus, Professor Mcgonagall (with her banding and coloring she was a ringer for the cat from the movies.) 

Eren and Mikasa almost immediately started referring to her as Minnie or MinMin, but Levi wouldn't have it, insisting that it wasn't ladylike. He refused to call her anything but Minerva and to everyone's surprise, the clever little ball of fluff started only answering to that name. She would show feline curiosity to those who used the various nicknames, but more often than not, didn't even twitch a whisker. 

She followed Levi everywhere, staying close to his ankles on the rare occasion that he wasn't carrying her in his arms or wearing her curled around his neck. At first, Eren was delighted. Levi was enamoured of the kitten, stroking her and muttering to her constantly in a low, rumbling, croon. He did everything for her, including feeding her the special milk formula he warmed himself and patiently introducing her to her litter box.   
  
He took it upon himself to acclimate her to the household, showing her around and giving her instructions as though she could understand him. She was permitted to sit on any furniture that a human would sit on but was otherwise banned from all other surfaces including the coffee tables, dining table, nightstands, bookshelves, and kitchen counters. If he caught her in one of those places he would lift her gently by the scruff of her neck and calmly explain that it was unbecoming of a lady to be in such a place. It shouldn't have been possible for a kitten to look embarrassed, but somehow Minerva pulled it off. Eren couldn't blame her, he had been on the receiving end of Levi's calm but exacting discipline and had felt the same.

He should have seen the way things were going after the first night...but he naively ignored the writing on the wall until it was too late. The kitten's little bed was placed next to theirs full of blankets and toys and all sorts of inviting things...none of which seemed to matter once the lights went out. Her plaintive cries echoed pitifully in their bedroom, only calming to gentle, sleepy, purrs when Levi scooped her up and snuggled her into his neck.

Right where Eren usually slept. 

She continued to insinuate herself between them over the next few days- first in Levi's lap when they were watching a movie, and then again when they were in the office getting some work done. She was even affecting their sex life, threading between their legs and meowing cutely when they kissed until Levi picked her up or hopping right onto his boyfriend's lap when he was trying to go down on him. Not to mention the fact that Levi wouldn't have sex with Minerva in the bed- which she  _ always _ was because she hadn't spent the night anywhere else.

All the while, even though he might be going crazy, Eren couldn't shake the feeling that she knew  _ exactly _ what she was doing. On Levi's part, he seemed blissfully unaware that there was even a problem, chuckling at Eren and rolling his eyes when he mumbled miserably that he was being replaced. Minerva's devotion to Levi was honestly next level. Not only was she the best behaved, most intelligent animal he had ever met, she also listened to Levi scrupulously, only displaying a truly feline level of zero fucks when he was at work or anybody else needed her to do anything. 

"The three of you couldn't possibly understand! I'm  _ dying _ of sexual frustration."

Ymir paused and turned to Eren with a raised eyebrow.

"Ya'll haven't had sex since Christmas, Eren? I find that  _ impossible _ to believe. "

Eren squirmed, well aware he was being overly dramatic. 

"Well, no...we  _ have _ . But only when the kitten is sleeping. It's like she knows when I'm in the mood and purposely distracts Levi before I can even get my foot in the door."

His three friends stared at him for a moment before dissolving into laughter again, unrepentant that it was entirely at his expense. Eren scowled at them and stood up.

"You know what, fuck all three of you. So much for friendship."

Armin stopped laughing and grabbed his arm before he could storm out of the shop. 

"Aww come on, E, we're just fucking around. You have to admit, you had it coming. You and Levi are so ridiculously perfect together, something was bound to come up."

Eren raised an incredulous eyebrow at his friend. Armin really was one to talk- he, Krista, and Ymir were the most bizarrely functional relationship he had ever seen apart from his own. Krista looked up from unpacking the last box.

"Why don't you just talk to Levi, Eren? Put your foot down. Either that or just go straight into negotiations with feline Machiavelli."

"What do you mean?"

Krista grinned.

"Give her Catnip."

° ☆ °

Eren sidled into the house and checked his watch, feeling like a criminal. If he timed it correctly, Levi would be swimming laps in the pool for at least another thirty minutes. The only places in the house Minerva was entirely forbidden from were the balcony in their bedroom and the pool deck. Their infant feline seemed to have an unnatural curiosity regarding the water and Levi was terrified she would drown. He crept through the house alert for movement, finally locating his quarry curled up in a patch of sunlight by the curved living room window. 

Eren eased down to the floor, running his fingers over her soft fur. 

"Hey MinMin, I have a present for you."

The kitten regarded him through one lazily slitted eyelid. 

"Tell me if you like it…"

He fished a small fabric mouse out of his pocket that he had opened and laced with catnip. The kitten was instantly alert, watching the toy with more curiosity and attention than he had seen her show anything outside of Levi's presence. She approached him tentatively and snuffled at his palm meowing adorably until he placed her gift on the floor. He petted her as she batted at the mouse rolling around with it gently while she continued to meow softly. 

"Hmm…you're pretty cute aren't you? What a cute kitty you are…"

He found himself crooning in helpless adoration before he remembered he had to get down to business. He plucked the mouse away from the kitten to get her attention. She sat up, instantly alert and affronted.

"Now, now, we have to have a little chat, young lady. There is plenty more where this came from and I'll give it to you, but you have to stop monopolizing daddy. He was  _ mine _ first."

A low chuckle slid across Eren's skin and he froze guiltily. Levi was so damn quiet all the time, Eren had no way of knowing how long he had been there...or if he had witnessed his duplicitous plan. He looked up sheepishly and felt his heart flip. Levi's hair was still wet and dripping onto the folded collar of the white, resort style robe he had cinched around his body. Eren realized belatedly he must have misjudged the time because Levi had obviously finished his workout and already showered in the pool house before coming inside. 

"Now what's going on here, I wonder…?"

"N-nothing…"

Levi sauntered forward and dropped into a crouch so they would be at eye level. Eren tried not to be distracted by the fact that in all likelihood Levi was completely naked under his robe. The struggle was real. His boyfriend looked suspiciously between his guilty face and the kitten who had started pawing insistently at the pocket of his jeans. 

Levi reached out to pat Minerva on the head and then slid his hand down Eren's side to extract the small mouse from where he'd hidden it. Minerva followed the action intently. Levi sniffed the small rodent and raised an eyebrow.

"Eren...why are you drugging the kitten?"

He couldn't tell whether Levi was serious or amused. A blush furiously tinged his cheeks as he denied everything. He couldn't look Levi in the eye.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about. I...we were just playing."

"Mhm."

Levi held the mouse out to Minerva and she lunged at it, meowing insistently.

Eren narrowed his eyes at her.

"Traitor."

Levi chuckled again and stood, leaving Minerva with her prize as he pulled Eren to his feet. He crowded close to him, making it difficult for him to focus. Eren's hopes that Levi hadn't heard him earlier were instantly dashed when the older man spoke.

"What's all this about, baby? Have I been neglecting you?"

Eren bit his lip and nodded, feeling ridiculous.

"Y-you just...she's always in  _ my _ spot…"

Eren thought from the twitch of his lips that Levi was going to laugh at him, but he miscalculated. He gasped as Levi took his mouth in a soft, sensual kiss. Eren moaned as Levi's hands slid around his waist, gripping him tightly. He didn't even realize until after he was released from the thorough onslaught that Minnie hadn't interrupted them. 

"You know that you're my number one, right, baby?"

Levi's murmur against his ear made him shiver. He barely found his voice, but he felt so silly he had to say something.

"I-I'm sorry...I know that, I feel so stupid…"

Levi sighed, not loosening his grip in the slightest. 

"No...I may have gone a little... overboard...but she's so damn  _ cute _ Eren! You know I have a thing for cats...plus,  _ you _ gave her to me, which makes her even  _ more _ special."

Eren felt a lump in his throat and wound his hands around Levi's neck. It was a good thing Levi wasn't done speaking because Eren couldn't have uttered a word.

"I...I've hated my birthday for so long, Eren, denied that it was anything special because of bad memories from my childhood...you've given it back to me now." 

Eren rested his forehead against Levi's and they stood silently, breathing each other in.

"Sorry I didn't play fair, but your birthday happens to be my favorite day of the year. My world would be entirely pointless without you."

Levi stood back, biting his lip for a moment. 

"Yeah, no. Can't really just go about my day after you've said something like that."

Eren shrieked as Levi backed up further and swooped down, cutting him off at the waist and lifting him onto his shoulder like a caveman kidnapping a damsel in distress. 

" _ Whaaaaaa _ ! Levi stop! Put me down, hey!"

He didn't wiggle too much, genuinely concerned that Levi would drop him, as unlikely as that seemed given how he was placed snugly against the man's broad shoulder. 

Levi took a step and turned to look at Minerva, pointing to her with his free index finger.

"Don't think you get to keep that young lady. But daddy's busy right now, so I'll take it later."

She meowed at them plaintively, turning her attention back to her contraband as Eren was carried, giggling and breathless up to the bedroom. 


	37. Sweet Neko [R-18 Smut Warning]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren reclaims his rightful place.

Levi dumped Eren on the bed unceremoniously and stood back to survey his giggling lover. His chocolate locks were lustrous and flowing, grown long enough over the last year to reach his shoulders. Levi loved his hair, he loved to pull it and run his fingers through it, he would even brush it sometimes after Eren got out of the shower, which he knew the young man tolerated with befuddled amusement. Eren sat up on his elbows, a tiny furrow appearing between his brows.

"Are you planning to join me?"

Levi crossed his arms. Maybe he _had_ been a little too focused on his new pet lately. He hadn't seen Eren spread out on the bed like this for weeks. 

"I want you to strip for me."

His voice was soft, but the command was beneath the gentleness. Eren took note of it and obeyed. He sat up slowly and knelt in the center of the bed, never taking those Caribbean blue eyes off of Levi's face. He unbuttoned his pale blue, short-sleeved shirt, bearing his smooth chest inch by inch until he slid it off his shoulders. 

The year of healthy eating and focused athletic training had done a number on Eren's already beautiful body. Any baby fat he had sported as an eighteen year old had melted away to reveal solid, long muscles. He would never be particularly bulky, it wasn't his body type, but he was strong and hard in a way that made Levi's mouth water. His bronze skin reflected the tropical glow of a Miami summer. Every single thing about him was perfect. 

Eren unbuckled his belt and unzipped his ever present, hideous cargo shorts, slipping them down his thighs slowly revealing his semi hard cock. Levi's eyes followed their progress, licking his lips involuntarily when they were fully down and pooling against the bedspread. 

"You are so fucking beautiful."

Eren swallowed as a slight blush dusted his cheeks. Levi marvelled at how he could be so absolutely shameless and yet blush like a virgin from a single compliment. He didn't dwell on it, though, he gave up trying to make sense of his boyfriend a long time ago, in favor of just simply being thankful for him. Unable to stand the separation between them any longer, he approached the foot of the bed, hands going to the tie of his robe. Eren held out his hand.

"Wait! I...I mean, _please_ wait."

He crawled forward on all fours, leaving the rest of his clothing behind. 

"Let me?"

Levi dropped his hands and bit back a grin.

"As you wish. I'm all yours."

Eren licked his lips and looked up at him through his lashes. 

" _All_ mine?"

His nimble fingers made quick work of the knot and the robe fell open. Levi could hear Eren's unsteady breaths as the young man focused on his body. He hadn't really changed his workout regiment since meeting Eren- he swam every morning, ran at least five kilometers every other day on the treadmill, and alternated weight training- he was hardly at Eren's level of athleticism, but he was at least pleased that he continued to be sexually appealing.

Okay that was self deprecating bullshit. He _knew_ he looked good, but at forty, he could hardly take his health or his physique for granted.

He closed his eyes as Eren leaned forward to swipe his tongue across his shredded abs and then pepper him with gentle kisses and erotic bites. Levi felt his hands slide up his body under the sides of the robe and shivered, locking himself in place. He needed every ounce of self control he possessed to let Eren satisfy his desire for exploration. Eren's voice was soft and his breath was warm against his body.

"Won't you touch me, daddy?"

Levi groaned and threaded his fingers through Eren's hair, tilting his head up so that when Levi opened his eyes they would be looking straight at each other.

"Do you have any idea what you are doing to me? How hard it is to hold back and not fuck you into this mattress right now?"

Eren licked his lips and it made Levi's cock jump.

"Then what are you waiting for?"

Levi was mildly surprised that the snapping of his self control wasn't audible. He pulled Eren up by the grip on his hair and manhandled him onto the bed with a kiss that was remarkable for both its sweetness and savagery. Eren lay on his back, surprised when Levi slapped his thigh.

"I want that ass in the air, now."

Eren practically squeaked as he scrambled onto his stomach. Impatient now, Levi pulled him up by his hips until his sexy ass was swaying. 

"Fucking damn, you are so sexy…"

Eren moaned, fisting the sheets. Levi sank down onto the bed and kissed the small of Eren's back and he squeezed the perfect globes of his ass. He knelt lower and spat saliva directly onto Eren's hole, using the pad of his thumb to smooth it around evenly before pressing his finger inside to the knuckle. Eren panted against the bedsheet, shaking at the invasion. Levi would have stopped but he knew Eren loved this. He kept his finger moving, loosening the tight muscle, but sank his body lower so he could nuzzle Eren's taint. 

He flicked his tongue out to lick Eren's balls and was rewarded by a beautifully choked moan when he pressed further forward and sucked the perfectly manscaped sack into his mouth. He tugged on the skin between his lips and released it, sitting up so he could plunge the thumb on his other hand in to join the other, stretching Eren's ass apart. One of Eren's hands slid down the bed and gripped the fluttering edges of his parted robe. His voice was harsh and strangled. 

"Levi, I am fucking _begging_ you right now... _please_ put your cock inside me."

Curses spilled from Levi's lips as he spit on his hand to prep his cock, before letting it fall heavily against Eren's ass. 

" _Begging_ are you, my thirsty little cock slut?"

Without any further preamble, pushed to his absolute limit, Levi plunged himself into the seething heat of Eren's body. A guttural grunt of satisfaction rumbled in his chest as the searing heat of Eren's ass melted into his cock. The tight rings of muscle twitched and contracted around him massaging both the head and the base as he fully sheathed himself. 

This feeling...the heat, the tightness, the utter perfection and completeness of being joined with his lover in this way would _never_ get old. Every single time was like the first and yet a homecoming to a place that had slowly taken on his body's shape. He pulled out slowly and flexed his hips, thrusting back inside, repeating the action until he knew the sheets below were smeared with Eren's tears, drool, and thick, white fluid. 

He pressed down on the small of Eren's back so the younger man would arch, giving him the perfect angle for a prolonged prostate massage. Eren had cum more than once but Levi was insatiable; the feel of trembling limbs and the sweet song of broken moans the only encouragement he needed. He had made his beautiful lover feel lonely, and must take responsibility for that by making sure Eren never stopped feeling him. Eren sobbed his pleasure, both hands now tangled in Levi's robe, his begging pleas all of a sudden too much for Levi to hold back. Another thrust and he was gone, flooding Eren's insides with the cream of his passion.

°☆°

Eren blinked, his vision still unstable from the mind blowing ecstacy of being soundly fucked in all the right places. He could feel Levi's grips on either side of his hips and his boyfriend's pulsing cock still in his body. He sighed languidly. His body felt heavy with pleasure but light and giddy from endorphins. He slumped down and Levi went with him, nuzzling between his shoulder blades. 

A flutter of motion out of the corner of his eye roused him. With the sharp flick of her tail, Minerva climbed up onto the bed, her bright green eyes studying them both. Eren's stomach dropped, doing its best to kill his post sex euphoria. Once Levi turned and noticed his precious angel on the bed he didn't know exactly how the older man would react, but he knew it wasn't going to be pleasant. Any thought of shooing her off the bed before Levi saw her was foiled by a tentative meow. 

Eren was tensed for rejection that didn't come. Levi hummed against his skin and turned to face the tiny feline, reaching his hand out to stroke the underside of her chin. 

"How did you get in here, Houdini? I definitely closed the door…"

The kitten meowed again and paced away, still studying them. Eren shifted uncomfortably, surprised at Levi's extremely mellow reaction. 

"Uhm, babe?"

"Hm?"

"Are you, uh, okay with Minnie being in here?"

Levi sat up and pulled out, before stretching out on the bed next to him. 

"I'm not particularly an exhibitionist, but I suppose it was time Minerva figured out that you're my mate."

Eren blinked.

"Your _what_?"

Levi chuckled.

"You said it yourself, Eren, that it seemed like Minerva was trying to take your place. She's young...but that's how it works with animals...she probably didn't realize you're the...the um…"

Eren sat up, his glare forbidding his boyfriend to finish that sentence. 

"Levi Ackerman, if you call me a _queen*_ so _help_ me god!"

He smacked Levi on the shoulder hard enough to actually hurt but his boyfriend was already laughing too hard to notice. His own mirth bubbled up from the pit of his stomach and spilled out of his lips. Soon they were laughing together as their kitten watched them quietly, flicking her tail back and forth before wandering out of the room. 

Eren was still giggling when Levi sobered and pulled him down gently across his chest. The older man ran a finger across his lips and he stilled.

"I thought we were past keeping things from each other."

Eren swallowed reflexively and studied Levi's clean shaven chin.

"We are...it wasn't..."

Levi kissed him softly.

"I don't ever want you to feel lonely next to me, Sweetness. I would move heaven and Earth for your happiness."

Eren leaned forward and rested his forehead against Levi's. They wound their arms around each other. He took a deep, shaking breath and exhaled, completely at a loss for words. He reached for the only response that seemed remotely appropriate. It was the phrase at the top of his mind and the tip of his tongue, always.

"I love you."

Levi kissed him slowly and hummed against his mouth whispering words of love as he coaxed Eren to straddle him. He could feel Levi's seed trickling out of his body, creating a slick path for them as they joined again. Eren moved over him grinding softly but firmly. Levi drew his knees up and cradled him in his lap, rotating his hips until soft whimpers slipped from his throat.

As thoroughly fucked as he had been ten minutes ago, he was ready for more and so was Levi. They would never get enough of each other.

Eren satisfied himself that he won a victory that day, reasserting his position over the new member of their household. From then on, Minerva deferred to Eren, always springing away gently when he came to cuddle or reclaim 'his spot' on the couch or the bed. It wasn't a total loss for the small female though, they never did find that little catnip mouse. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *A female cat in breeding circles is known as a Queen, Levi was not calling Eren a drag queen, but they both found the double meaning amusing.  
> ♡DiLo


	38. A Bit Underdressed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi finally pops the question.

Eren stood on the sand of South Point Beach facing the horizon, just far enough up the beach so that the gentle waves wouldn't lap at his feet. It was strange to be here alone, enjoying a quiet moment of solitude in the middle of a date. He and Levi had gotten up early that morning and hit the beach to surf. The weather was calm, but they had fun together and Eren got a chance to speak to a few fans who recognized him and pose for pictures. 

Even after several years on the competition circuit, it was still strange and fun to be recognized. His surfing career was exciting and rewarding. Over the last three years he and Levi had travelled the world, chasing the waves and cleaning up the competitions.

His degree was suffering for it, but Eren was living the life he wanted, next to the person he wanted to be with. When his friends walked in graduation next spring he would still have another year or two to go, but it was worth it. He couldn't be a professional athlete  _ and _ a full time student, nor did he want to be. 

He had Levi's full support, which was all that mattered to him. His competition earnings weren't half bad, either. At this point, even without Levi, he could support himself. But there was no "without Levi," and he didn't want there to  _ ever _ be. They were just as in love today as they had been every single day since he was eighteen year old interim secretary. The world and the people in it changed around them, but that remained the same, only altering when it grew stronger. 

After surfing they headed to the Shack to stow their gear and hang out for a while. Krista was working there full time now after quitting her other jobs. Gramps was hardly ever in the shop anymore. He was still as sharp as ever but it was obvious that the years were taking their toll. Armin refused to discuss it, so Eren left it alone. Everything would happen in it's own time whether they discussed it or not.

Armin, Ymir, and Krista were still together and wore couples rings now. There had been talk of a wedding for ages but Krista steadfastly refused to tie the knot. It was a strange situation they were working through- Ymir and Armin wanted the three of them to be married, Krista steadfastly did  _ not _ . Eren still didn't understand the situation fully and that as well, he left alone. 

His friends weren't the only ones thinking about marriage. This summer marked three years that he and Levi had been together and despite their closeness, not a single serious word about their relationship had ever passed between them. Eren always figured he would get married and have kids one day, without really ever thinking it through too seriously. He could see being married to Levi, tying himself to this man in every way possible, but something always kept him from bringing it up. He and Levi were happy and he was loath to disturb that happiness with unnecessary angst. 

Their twenty year age difference wasn't really a factor between them, but sometimes it did make Eren nervous. Maybe at his age, Levi just didn't see the need to get married. Maybe he thought his partner was too young. Eren had gotten even more broody since Zeke's wedding last fall. Tori, Eren's new sister-in-law, was actually Annie's cousin. The two had met the previous Christmas when Annie and Erwin decided not to go to Telluride. She was visiting from New York and tagged along to the party. 

Tori and Zeke lived in the Hamptons year round now, where he sold million-dollar real estate and she owned a boutique pastry shop. They were awaiting the birth of Eren's future niece or nephew with the baited breath of typical first time parents. Carla was ecstatic to be an almost-grandma and was obsessively banking time so she could spend a month in New York when the baby was born. 

Eren and Zeke were closer than ever, but his relationship with his mom was still suffering. She made her opinion of his frequent leaves-of-absence from school quite clear. She never stopped distrusting Levi, a situation made even more tenuous by her breakup with Kenny. Not long after the Christmas they got Minerva, a woman claiming to be Kenny's ex-wife and her teenaged son had shown up at the gates of the Estate. Kenny confirmed both the relationship and the paternity, also confirming that he had failed to pay child support for the last ten years. 

Levi looked brittle and disapproving, but unsurprised. Rachel had spent her last penny on the bus tickets she and Kyle needed to get from Boston to Miami. Levi took them in and absorbed them into the family, even going so far as to give Rachel a job at U.MEC. She had been out of work for some time but was actually a competent computer programmer and fit in well with Erwin's development team.

Carla and Kenny were already on the rocks before they had shown up, but the strain of Kenny lying about having a former family and not being there for his son struck too close to home for her after being abused and then abandoned by Eren's deadbeat dad.

Kenny played house with them for a couple of weeks before he and all his stuff disappeared from the Estate without telling anyone but Mikasa. They got an email from him three days later saying he was staying with some friends in Madrid and they shouldn't expect to see him any time soon. Kyle was unsure of the situation to begin with and became even more sullen and taciturn for weeks after, rebuffing Eren's attempts at friendship. Slowly and surely he was getting through to the kid. With Oliver and Eldin's help, they pulled him out of his shell and made him feel like part of the family. 

Carla threw herself into Zeke's wedding planning and then into full on anticipation of being a grandmother. Eren wouldn't be surprised if she ended up quitting her job and moving up to New York. A part of him wanted to be sad about that inevitability, but he had to admit it would also be a relief. What he wanted out of life and what his mom wanted out of his life were just too different. He wasn't going to compromise for her and he couldn't blame her for not wanting to stick around and watch. 

A beach ball hit his leg and Eren reached down, momentarily distracted from his thoughts to hand it back to its owner, a small girl with intricately beaded braids, who gave him a wave and a gap-toothed smile. He looked around self-consciously, wondering what was taking Levi so long. They had lunch in their favorite Greek restaurant on Collins avenue after leaving the Shack. On the way out, a waitress knocked into them, accidentally spilling an entire pitcher of margaritas all over Levi. 

He had kept his temper with his usual equanimity and insisted Eren go ahead and wait for him at the beach while he changed his clothes (luckily he had his dry cleaning in the back of the car). He checked his watch again, second guessing that he was in the right spot. He was about to turn around and walk up the beach when a couple strolling in the surf got his attention.

"Hey buddy, would you mind taking a picture for us?"

Eren jogged down to grab the phone, musing at how unusual it was for people to want an actual photo instead of a selfie. He handed the phone back and turned, freezing when he looked up directly into eyes the color of moonlight. His heart pounded and his throat constricted as he took in the sight before him. Levi stood up the beach with his hands casually in the pockets of a heather gray suit. His black shoes were shined to a high polish and he wore his dark grey shirt with the top two buttons opened to showcase his ivory throat. 

Levi's neutral expression broke into a smile as the two of them took the necessary steps to be standing just an arm's length away from each other. Levi didn't say a word, he just looked at him the way he always looked at him, like he couldn't quite believe he was real. Eren felt the silence between them in every beat of his heart as the details of the day clicked into place. Surfing, the Shack, the Greek restaurant, the entire day had been casually planned as an exact replica of their first date. Sudden insight had Eren wanting to check his phone, but turning away from Levi was impossible. Even without looking he knew what the date was and the significance of it; three years ago today, was the day he and Levi had met for the first time,  _ that one summer... _

° ☆ °

Levi stood under the pavilion, just out of sight, watching Eren down the beach while he gathered himself. He felt jittery and ridiculous. Jittery, because if he did this right it would probably go down in history as one of the best days of Eren's life. Ridiculous, because he had never doubted anything less than his boyfriend's absolute commitment to him and their relationship. He had taken too long, he  _ knew _ he had, but he couldn't help it. He had never been an indecisive person in his life and he wasn't turning into one now, yet somehow the twenty steps he would have to take down the beach to stand at Eren's side seemed like the most important twenty steps he would ever take in his life. He just needed a minute to soak it in. 

He gave a small nod and the couple he hired to distract Eren started walking down the beach hand in hand. He strode out onto the sand as Eren snapped the picture, stuffing his hands into his pockets to keep them from shaking. He thought he would be even more nervous when they came face to face, but the moment Eren's ocean eyes met his, his nerves melted away. Eren was breathtaking as he always was, entirely without trying. His brown hair twisted in the wind, unfashionably long and lovely, his white t-shirt accentuating the healthy bronze hue of his skin. His blue and white color-blocked swim trunks hugged his lean hips and the curve of his ass. 

It took no thought at all to walk the last few steps until they were close enough to touch and reach across the space between them to take Eren's hands in his. His boyfriend bit his lip shyly.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself, bright eyes."

Eren blinked at him and he felt his heart flutter.

"I think I'm a bit underdressed."

Levi smiled.

"I think you are perfect."

He let out one final shaky breath and spoke.

"This would be so much easier if I didn't have to look at you...but I can't look away. I've never been able to look away…"

Levi lifted one hand and gently cupped Eren's cheek, feeling the blush that was slowly spreading under the younger man's skin before he took his hand again.  _ All this time, and he still blushes.  _

"Eren, the last three years have been a collection of the best days of my life and you are the one thing they all have in common. I thought I knew the shape of the world before I met you, but I was wrong. I lived on the beach, but you gave me the sand and the ocean. I stood in the sun, but I never felt its warmth until you wrapped your arms around me. We've never needed anyone else to tell us that what we have is  _ right _ or  _ valid _ , but there is nothing I want more in this world than to show  _ everyone _ that we belong to each other in every way that it's possible to belong to another person."

Eren's eyes were wide and his lips were parted, allowing shallow little gasps to escape. He stopped breathing all together when Levi slowly slipped down to one knee, never more indifferent to the feeling of sand crunching under his body. Time stood still as grey eyes met blue. Even the wind in the palm fronds hushed and the waves calmed as they stared at each other.

"Eren, will you marry me?"

Levi let one of Eren's hands drop again as he reached into the breast pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out a small velvet box. He looked up into Eren's tear covered face as he flipped the box open, but his boyfriend's gaze never wavered from his own. Eren tilted his head forward and managed to breathe the most beautiful word in the English language.

" _ Yes _ ."

Levi was on his feet again in an instant. Eren's arms wound around his neck as he gripped his boyfriend's waist, spinning him around in a circle before setting him down lightly again. A small crowd of onlookers had gathered around them and they were applauding now. Eren smiled through his tears as Levi gave him a chaste kiss on the lips and pulled back slightly. He opened the small velvet box again and Eren gasped. A wave of self consciousness washed over him.

"If...if you don't like it, I can get you a different one, or you don't have to wear it at all-"

Eren plucked the ring reverently from the box and turned it over in his fingers. The band was two-toned, yellow gold and platinum separated by beautifully engraved ocean waves. The platinum side was strewn with paraiba tourmalines and sapphires which made up the 'ocean'. The gold side was accented with tiny diamonds that decorated the 'sky.'

"I...I would be honored to wear it. You're gonna have to put it on me though."

Levi was about to ask why when he realized that Eren's hands were shaking so badly he could barely keep the ring in his fingers, let alone put it on. He dropped the box back into his pocket and reclaimed the piece of jewelry, slipping it on to Eren's long, slim finger. Several more cheers and some flashes went off from the onlookers as the photographers Levi hired to capture the proposal finally broke out of the crowd. 

Their fingers twined together between their chests. Eren took an unstable breath and rested their foreheads together.

"I love you so much. I hope you know you're stuck with me now. I don't come with a return policy."

Levi kissed Eren again softly, feeling hot, fierce joy so intense it felt like he would melt from the inside out, seared by the knowledge that he would never be cold again.

"Who would return a priceless treasure?"

° ☆ °

Eren drifted between his family and friends, chatting and showing off his ring. He would have floated right off his feet if Levi's interlaced fingers hadn't been holding him firmly in place. He was trying to savor every moment, but it was impossible when his already poor attention span was battling with his pure, unadulterated excitement. The photographers at the beach had produced a suit for Eren to change into (for which he was grateful because he really did feel underdressed) and had proceeded to take a full engagement photoshoot as the sun set over the sand. 

He thought the day couldn't possibly get any more perfect but he was wrong. The house was full and lively when they arrived home. Levi had not only planned their engagement perfectly but also Eren's surprise engagement party. Champagne was flowing and gourmet hor d'oeuvres were being passed around by an army of white-gloved servers. Minerva wove through the crowd nimbly evading Jinny as she tried, in vain, to pet Levi's princess. 

Eren felt a tug on his arm as his  _ fiance _ led him outside onto the patio into a slightly deserted corner of the balcony where they had a view of the people strolling about the lawn and pool deck. He took a deep breath when he felt Levi's arms around him.

"Are you okay, baby? You seem a little out of it…

Eren nodded and turned, leaning against the balcony rail so he could look at Levi with the glow of the house lights behind him. He looked handsome and mysterious and happier than Eren had ever seen him. 

"I still can't believe this is real. It all feels like a dream. How did you even do all this without me finding out?" 

Levi ginned at him mischievously.

"What can I say, my fiance can be a bit dense."

Eren scoffed in mock outrage that didn't reach his dancing eyes.

"You took a big risk here with all this, you know. I could have said, 'no'."

Levi raised an elegant eyebrow at him, his lips twisting into a smirk.

"Nah. Not a chance."

Eren giggled.

"Confident, are we?"

"It's a bet I was willing to make. It's your own fault for never proving me wrong."

Eren looked into Levi's eyes and pulled the other man close, serious after their moment of mirth. 

"Why did you wait so long?"

Levi sighed softly and rubbed small circles in his back. 

"I...I wanted to, but I wanted to give you a chance to experience the world a bit...twenty is still so young to get married. I waited as long as I could to not feel like I was robbing the cradle. We can get married next summer after you turn twenty one."

Eren's breath caught. He couldn't help sounding just a bit whiney.

"A  _ year _ ? I have to wait a year to become yours?"

Levi's eyes were liquid starlight in the gentle lighting.

"Baby, you've been mine since the moment we met. Nothing will ever change that or how much I love you."

The kiss they shared was the essence of sweetness tinged with dark promise. Eren murmured softly against Levi's lips.

"Spring."

"Hmm?"

"If we have to wait until I'm 21 then we will get married in the spring,  _ not _ the summer. March 31st. You have  _ exactly _ eight months, two weeks, and three days until I stand before anyone who will listen and declare that I will love, honor, and cherish you for the rest of my life and however many lifetimes beyond that I get to stand by your side."

Eren's heart seized as tears trickled down Levi's cheeks. He had never seen his boyfriend cry...he honestly didn't think he  _ did _ cry. After every hardship he had been through in his life, it seemed strange that it took happiness to elicit the most poignant of emotions within him.

The next time he would see Levi cry would be through the veil of his own tears as they stood under the canopy on their wedding day. The blazing Florida sunset shone down on them exactly eight months, two weeks, and three days later, as they exchanged their vows and the smooth gold bands that symbolized their unbroken, everlasting love. 


	39. So Much More

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which life goes on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Lovelies! Betcha thought we were done...not quite yet! Take care of yourselves, be safe, and as always, thank you for sticking around with me ♡  
> ♡DiLo

Eren paced the hospital waiting room, muttering a litany of phrases that should have been calming to his nerves. Unfortunately it seemed they had no power here. He didn't have any particular hangups about hospitals, as many people seemed to; sure, people died in them, but people were also cured, given second chances at life, new beginnings. Armin, for example, hated hospitals. He had hated them since he was young and gone with Gramps to identify his parents' bodies after the car accident. He hadn't seen the bodies of course, but the bright lights and gray walls made an impression on his youthful mind that never quite faded. 

Even becoming a father hadn't more kindly disposed Armin to hospitals. Krista's pregnancy and the birth of Armin's son, Axel, had gone off without a hitch, but Ymir's delivery of his daughter six weeks later had turned into a traumatic c-section. The underweight infant was in such dire straits that none of the doctors noticed when Ymir stopped breathing on the operating table. It took Armin's frantic shouts to alert them to the fact that his wife was dying. She had a rare allergy to the anesthesia they used during the operation and was actually clinically dead for several seconds before they resuscitated her. 

Both she and her tiny, perfect daughter Miriam would eventually leave the hospital hale and whole, but Armin would never be the same. For someone who hated hospitals as much as he did, it didn't end there. Just shy of Axel and Miriam's first birthday, Krista felt a lump in her breast. They found themselves right back in the hospital getting diagnosed with stage three triple negative breast cancer. They might have caught it sooner, but pregnancy and breastfeeding had taken up most of the past two years. 

They had all been stunned, all of them but Krista. Her grandmother, aunt, and mother had all died from either breast or ovarian cancer. It was the private pain she had never shared with her partners and the reason behind her reckless lifestyle and aversion to marriage. She knew cancer would claim her one day and she lived her life to minimize the damage to the people around her. But Armin and Ymir loved her too much to let her go, refusing to just raise Axel in her memory and let her go gently into the night. 

They changed the whole rhythm of their life to fuel Krista's fight. They ate a special diet, followed a strict, aggressive treatment regiment and stayed the course through surgery after surgery and endless rounds of chemo. Krista would never have another child, but by Axel and Miriam's third birthday, she was cancer free and the image of a strong, beautiful survivor. Rather than tearing them apart, her illness had made the Arlert family an impenetrable unit. 

Armin had not neglected the business throughout his family's growth and struggles. He had succeeded in properly branding Surf Shack and had even licensed several franchises up the coast in North Carolina and in Southern California. Even Gramps was still hanging on, the old Salt refusing to catch his final wave now that he had great grandchildren. He was thrilled to have not one, but  _ two _ grand-daughters in law and even though he professed to loving the little ones both the same, Miriam was the light of his life. 

Eren looked down at his phone, grateful for the distraction that thinking about Armin's family afforded him, even if it was only temporary. He wished Levi were with him. Not being next to his husband at a time like this was scraping his nerves raw. He shouldn't have to stand in a hospital waiting room by himself, wondering if today would be the best day of his life, or the worst. 

The elevator 'dinged' plaintively and Eren whirled around, his heart in his throat as Levi rushed to him, gripping him tightly in a crushing embrace. Eren's relief was followed by a moment of playful frustration. Even at a time like this, rushing in off the street from a full day at the office, did his husband have to look so effortlessly attractive? Levi stroked his face and looked into his eyes.

"Is everything okay, baby, is she...are they...did I miss it?"

Eren swallowed the lump in his throat. He opened his mouth to answer but they were interrupted by a nurse in pale pink scrubs.

"Excuse me, are you the fathers?"

° ☆ °

_ One Year Ago _

Levi flipped through the binder and dropped it unceremoniously on the coffee table. 

"I don't know, baby, this seems...I don't know if I can just pick a baby momma out of a catalogue. It seems so  _ unnatural _ ."

Eren turned and gave him a sarcastic look that narrowed his bright turquoise eyes to blazing slits. 

"I wasn't aware you were willing to have a baby the more  _ traditional _ way."

Levi frowned. 

"That's not what I meant. It's just, the legal ramifications of surrogacy can be very complicated and both the egg donor and the surrogate are people you are inviting into your life  _ forever _ , it creates a whole complicated dynamic. We are a fairly high profile couple, Eren, the potential for extortion is not minimal."

Eren rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch, drumming his fingers against his knee. Levi slid close to him and entwined their fingers.

"Why don't we talk to the adoption agency again? There are so many children who could use a good home-"

Eren's shoulders drooped. 

"I want a  _ baby _ Levi. I want us to raise a family together. I know it's different for you...you have such a big heart...you've raised so many children that were brought into this world by someone else, that it doesn't matter to you...but it matters to  _ me _ ." 

Levi sat back mulling over Eren's words calmly. Minerva jumped up onto the couch and pushed her soft, furry head under his free hand, sensing his tension. He couldn't deny Eren's words, even if he didn't necessarily agree with them. He  _ had _ raised Isabel and Mikasa on his own since they were all children. He couldn't say he had a hand in raising Olly, Eld, and Jinny, but he was definitely a very involved uncle. He supposed he could add Kyle to the list. His nephew was in college now but still considered the Estate his home. The young man had developed a close, brotherly sort of dynamic with Eren but there was no denying that he had adopted Levi as his father figure. 

He would never forget the time he found the boy out by the pool in the middle of night, crying bitterly, surrounded by empty liquor bottles. Levi wrapped him in a towel and sat with him for hours while he exorcised his demons. Kyle and Rachel had been with them barely six months at the time and the damage Kenny had inflicted was still fresh and raw...

_ "Aren't you gonna yell at me? I stole your liquor and I'm drinking underage!" _

_ "No...I'm not going to yell at you...you'll be feeling it yourself in the morning." _

_ Kyle looked at him, his pale green eyes brimming with sorrow and desperation. _

_ "Tch. Why should you yell, anyway? That's what a father would do and you're not...I don't have a father...why...why couldn't it have been you?" _

_ Levi's throat constricted and he held the boy closer, cursing his brother to hell for the first time in his life.  _

_ "No...I'm not your father, because if I had been, I never would have left you. But I am your family. My blood flows through your veins, Kyle, and I will always be here for you, always. This will always be your home." _

Kyle was in college now, a bright, happy, creative kid who had a head for business and a smile that devastated the ladies, even though he was strictly principled when it came to relationships. Levi was proud of him and did, at the end of the day think of him as a son. 

He also figured he should add Mikasa's five year old daughter to the list. His sister had always been open with him about her identity as a panromantic gray-ace. She had relationships frequently, but none seemed to stick around very long once they realized she genuinely wasn't interested in sex. The night Levi got a call from the Dade County police department informing him that his sister was in the hospital was one of the longest of his life. Mikasa had been out with her friends when an ex of hers dragged her into an alley, smacked her around and raped her. 

She refused to identify the assailant or press charges no matter how they pressured her, preferring to just move on with her life and work through her trauma privately. When she realized she was pregnant, to her family's surprise, she refused to abort the baby. Mikasa blossomed during pregnancy, allowing the life that grew inside her to heal her instead of punish her. When Hadley Kuchel Ackerman was born nine months later, a softer, yet unmistakable clone of her mother, any thoughts of the baby's paternity were eternally laid to rest. She became another member of the Ackerman household. 

Even though Eren never said anything against her, Levi could tell that having Hadley in their lives caused him pain. He had thrown himself wholeheartedly into being an uncle to Olly, Eld, and Jinny, and an older brother to Kyle. When Axel and Miriam were born he was over the moon with excitement and he was head over heels for his own nephew, Linden, Zeke's little boy. Yet Hadley struck a chord in Eren. Maybe it was her resemblance to Levi or the fact that the 'father slot' in her life was a complete void, but whatever it was, it created tension. Levi hadn't realized how desperately Eren wanted to be a father, and maybe, subconsciously, he felt that Hadley's existence would once again fill the never ending string of dependents that fulfilled Levi's need to raise a family. 

He watched his husband twitch restlessly, wanting to say he was in this with his whole heart...but he was genuinely concerned about the risks. 

"Eren-"

"I'll do it."

Levi and Eren's gazes both snapped up to Mikasa who had entered the room silently. 

Eren started to speak but Mikasa raised her hand gently, keeping her steady gaze on her brother. 

"My mind's already made up. I know you've been talking about this for a while and...I think it's the best option. You know how I feel about...everything involved in getting pregnant, but I've never been happier or felt more complete than when Hadley was growing inside me. I talked it over with Isabel, she beat me to it, but her doctor doesn't think a pregnancy after forty is the best idea especially after the c- section she had to deliver Jinny. You'll still have to find a donor obviously, but let me be your womb, Levi. Let me do this for you...please."

Levi looked between his sister and his husband's tear stained face and nodded mutely. He knew he couldn't argue with Mikasa's logic and it did clear up one of his more serious concerns. Mikasa was family and would definitely be in the baby's life regardless of whether or not she and Hadley ever decided to move out. Eren's arms were around Mikasa and Levi was pulled into a fierce three way hug. 

In the end, they found the perfect egg donor, a woman who was of both Irish and German descent who had donated anonymously, to help pay for college. Levi and Eren both donated sperm and in the end, Mikasa had been inseminated with four embryos, two from Levi and two from Eren. At her ten week appointment, the doctor confirmed that Mikasa was carrying twins. They wouldn't know the children's true paternity until the babies were born, but they both agreed it didn't matter. The babies were theirs, and that was all that mattered. 

All they needed to do now was wait.

° ☆ °

Eren and Levi raced through the hospital into an area outside the operating room where Mikasa was prepped and ready. They had planned on a natural birth, but the only practical plan you can have for a pregnancy is no plan at all. The doctors had been ecstatic when the babies reached 37 weeks of development, since every extra day in the womb meant more growth and lung development for the twins. 

Mikasa had been uncomfortable for several days before the pain became bad enough for Eren to insist they drive to the hospital. She had gone into labor but the babies were in the wrong position; one amniotic sac had ruptured and baby A's umbilical cord was wrapped around baby B. They held the surgery off just long enough for Levi to arrive at the hospital. 

Clad in blue 'dad' scrubs, Eren and Levi took their positions at Mikasa's head, gripping her hands dutifully, both tight lipped with worry. 

"Guys, relax, everything is going to be fine. I can't feel a thing."

Mikasa smiled wanly and Levi leaned down and kissed her forehead. His voice was a soothing whisper.

"You are doing so great Mika. You are incredible."

The obstetrician stepped up to the head of the bed and smiled down at the parents to be. 

"Alright, who feels like meeting these little ones?"

She positioned herself down the table and continued to talk.

"Now we don't know the genders, is that right?"

Eren nodded. 

"We wanted it to be a surprise."

"Well, then, let's end the suspense."

Eren averted his gaze and looked directly at Levi who was staring at him, wide eyed over his blue hospital mask. Eren's hand sought Levi's behind Mikasa's head and they gripped each other tightly. Two breaths filled the space with silence and a plaintive wail echoed off the walls making Eren jump. 

"Welcome to the world, Baby Boy A, and what healthy lungs you have, little man!"

Eren's eyes filled with tears as a nurse brought him the tiny infant swaddled in a blanket that made him look even smaller. 

"Okay, here comes Baby B, and isn't she just a little beauty!"

A tiny mewl of indignation joined her brother's cries of outrage as the little girl was placed in Levi's waiting arms. They each held the baby that had been given to them for about a minute before both infants were whisked away to the nursery to be cleaned up and go through the necessary tests to make sure they were healthy. Mikasa smiled with relief, ready to rest and recover now. The new fathers divested themselves of their scrubs and followed the orderlies who were wheeling Mikasa to recovery. 

Eren leaned into Levi excitedly, bouncing as they walked. The older man contemplative and more than a little overwhelmed. 

"Levi?"

"Hm?"

"I know we said it doesn't matter, you know, who the babies look like, but, the baby-"

Levi stopped walking and pulled Eren up short as both men finished their sentences together.

" _ Looks just like you _ ."

Eren frowned.

"What?"

Levi smiled crookedly.

"Our daughter looks just like you. I didn't think it would be possible but her eyes are exactly your color and the shape of her lips and her tiny little nose...she's beautiful, Eren, because she is your image."

Eren blinked at him, a blush staining his cheeks. 

"I...I was going to say the same thing. Our son is an Ackerman through and through. He could be your twin."

Levi shook his head in wonderment. 

"I can't believe it." 

The men paused as they passed by the nursery where their tiny infants were being placed in hospital bassinets, all freshly cleaned and swaddled. When the babies were brought to Mikasa's room later, where the new fathers sat with Isabel and Armin, the conversation turned to names. 

Armin sat forward with his elbows on his knees, eager to get a glimpse of one of the babies. Eren and Levi tried not to feel guilty for hogging them, but they couldn't seem to put their children down. 

"So, spill the beans already! I  _ know _ you guys had like a hundred names on your list last week."

Eren and Levi exchanged a mischievous look. They hadn't told anyone the names they had chosen yet, but since they already filled out the birth certificate requests, there was no reason to hold back. Levi smirked.

"We were actually thinking of just going with Baby A and Baby B, I mean we are all so used to that already…"

Armin raised an eyebrow at him and Isabel chuckled. 

"Out with it big bro!"

Levi sighed and tilted the tiny bundle in his arms slightly forward so they could see her face.

"This little ray of sunshine is Emily Aurora Ackerman."

Eren walked up behind him, cradling their sleeping son.

"And this handsome young man is Samuel Hayden Ackerman."

Mikasa gasped from the bed and tears gathered in the corners of her eyes. Hayden was the name of their maternal grandfather, their brave ancestor who had come to America from Ireland with nothing and established their family. Their mother had told the stories of his travels to Levi who in turn had told them to Mikasa. Her own daughter Hadley was named in his memory. 

Isabel was also overcome with emotion. The three siblings stood close together, connected by physical touch and gazed into each other's eyes. Eren eased back and sat across from Armin, letting them have their moment. He should have known better than to think his best friend wouldn't make trouble. 

"So...Ackerman, huh? You're not gonna at least hyphenate?"

Eren cocked his head to the side. Levi had asked him about which name they should put on the birth certificates, even going as far as to suggest one twin take Yeager and one Ackerman. They went back and forth. Eren was popular in the world of surfing but the Ackerman name carried weight that his name never would. It could be both a blessing and a curse for the children, but at the end of the day, if it weren't for Eren's career he would have already changed his name to Ackerman too. 

"Nah, Zeke's kids can carry on the Yeager name.  _ We _ are  _ Ackermans _ . Right Sammy? That's right…"

Eren nuzzled his infant, his heart expanding in his chest. He mused in wonderment at the true nature of family. The little scrap in his arms was not his blood relation, but he was related by blood to his sister, Eren's biological daughter. His and Levi's blood could never mix, but thanks to the unknowing gift of a woman who would never be a part of their lives, they were able to have children together. He also realized at that moment that who was related to whom didn't matter one single bit. Sam and Emily were both his and they were both Levi's and nothing would ever change that. 

Eren looked up as Levi's hand rested on his shoulder. He looked tired but his eyes were shining like stars. Eren stood and they wandered over to the window together, turning their backs of the hum of conversation behind them. They rested against each other and Eren felt Levi's arm curl around the small of his back. He wouldn't trust himself to hold a baby in one arm yet, but Levi was practically a pro. He leaned down and Levi met him halfway, kissing him gently before they both turned back toward the window. The sparkling waters of the Atlantic greeted them cheerfully. Levi's voice was a low hum meant for his ears alone.

"You know, I was thinking, it would kind of be weird for you to call me daddy now…"

Eren bit his lip and chuckled softly. 

"Damn that's true...I guess I'll just have to stop being a brat…"

Levi snorted.

"Fat chance."

They both laughed quietly for a moment before Levi cleared his throat again. 

"Thank you. I...honestly never thought I'd be a father...or a married man, for that matter. Here I am, forty five years old and I'm both. Thanks to  _ you _ , Eren. You've given me so much more than I ever dreamed I wanted."

Eren swallowed the knot of tears in his throat and gazed into Levi's eyes.

"Don't thank me yet, this is just the beginning."


	40. Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi explains the meaning of family.

Levi cracked a smile at Kyle who was currently pacing in front of his desk trying his best to negotiate what would be his first multi-million dollar deal since officially joining the team at U.MEC. Oliver sat on the couch, clearly on tenterhooks. Levi couldn't be more pleased by the close relationship that had sprung up between his nephews and at the mutual interest they had taken in the business he had spent the last thirty years building. He was still very much the CEO, but when he looked at their eager, excited faces full of promise and innovation, he saw the future. It made him feel secure enough to pull back his involvement bit by bit so he could spend more time with his children...even if said lights of his life were currently screaming an absolute blue streak in the entry hall.

Minerva hopped nimbly to the floor as Levi rose from his chair, gesturing to the two young men. They would be nervous dealing with this on their own, but they would be fine, especially with Jean monitoring from the office. Eren's schoolmate had quickly proven himself to Levi and the rest of the partners and was now an invaluable leader in their corporate partnerships division. 

Emily's wailing increased in intensity when he stepped out into the hallway to take in the scene, shutting the door quietly behind him. Jinny stood with her arms crossed, in the middle of scolding a guilty but defiant Hayden who looked on the verge of tears herself. Sam stood by helplessly watching Renata, whom Levi employed full time as a nanny, uselessly attempting to calm his sister. 

" _ What _ is all this racket?"

At the sound of his voice Emily spun and threw herself into his arms. He scooped her up effortlessly and cast an unimpressed glance at the rest of the children.

"Living room.  _ Now _ ."

They fell into step behind him and the sniffling Emily, whose sobs were muffled by his now tear-soaked dress shirt. Renata looked nervous and upset as she drew up alongside him. 

"I'm so sorry to disturb your meeting, Mr. Levi."

He nodded kindly. 

"Don't worry about it. Why don't you go get us a pitcher of lemonade?"

She vanished as soon as they sat down and Levi looked from one distraught face to the next. Hayden and Jinny clashed occasionally, but for the most part the children got along well and the drama almost never slipped down to the younger children. All four of them attended Riviera Prep, Jinny in high school and the others in seventh and second grade. Levi had gifted his elder niece with a Lexus SUV on her sixteenth birthday with the understanding that she would safely shuttle her younger cousins to and from school every day with a minimum degree of drama.

"Who is going to explain?"

Jinny and Hayden started speaking at the same time and Levi held up his hand, commanding silence. 

"Hayden?"

The thirteen year old blew her short, spikey hair out of her eyes. She reminded him so much of her mother at that age that he had to fight for his stern expression. 

"I didn't  _ do _ anything! Emily's just being a  _ crybaby _ . All I said was that Michael is right. We're not  _ technically _ in the same family. None of us are and she just started freaking out."

Levi blinked and looked up into Sam's eyes. The fact that they were huge in his face was the only indication that he was as upset at his sister. Jinny was shaking her head, ready to interject but Levi held up his finger and she subsided. He directed his attention to the now much subdued child in his lap. 

"Emmie-belle, will you tell me what's going on? If you don't explain, I can't fix it." 

The child in his arms took a deep breath and sat up. The afternoon sun streaming in through the windows glinted golden flecks in her chocolate colored, waist length ringlets. She pushed her hair out of her face and sniffled tragically, but she couldn't quite stop the tears from dripping out of the corners of her turquoise eyes. If Levi hadn't spent the last fourteen years awed by his husband's beauty he would be absolutely defenseless against his daughter. As it was she had him wrapped around her finger and they all knew it. 

"M-Michael Blakeney said that o-our family was strange and that y-you're not my f-f-father. H-h-he said A-Ackermans are s-sinners and we're all go-going to  _ hell _ ."

Levi's mind stuttered and he felt his lips press into a thin, implacable line as she burst into tears again. A tear had slipped down Sam's cheek at Emily's retelling and the boy sat watching him carefully for his reaction. He took a deep breath to calm his rising fury at the hateful ignorance some people raised their children with. He stroked Emily's feather soft hair and rocked her gently. 

"Thank you for telling me, princess. I know that was difficult for you. Jinny, will you hand me the Christmas portrait from the side table, please?"

His oldest niece hopped up quickly and grabbed the photo, passing it to him across the coffee table. He laid it down and waved the children to all look at it with him. Sam came and sat close by his side, as in need of comfort as his sister. Levi curled his arm around the boy and held him fast. 

"You all know this is our family...but do you know how we are all connected to each other?"

Emily had quieted down again and both she and Sam murmured their uncertainty. Hayden liked to pretend she was a know-it-all at thirteen, but still looked on with interest. Even Jinny was taken in by the non sequitur. 

"Okay. It all started with Grandma Kuchel, my mother, who died a very long time ago when Hayden's mommy was a baby. She had four children."

He pointed at the photo as he spoke, indicating each person. The portrait had been taken last year during a rare time when both Eren's family was visiting from New York and Kenny chose to grace them all with his presence.

"Uncle Kenny was born first, then me, Aunt Isabel, and Aunt Mikasa."

Emily nodded.

"Uncle Kenny married Aunt Rachel and they had Kyle- he's the oldest, and then Aunt Isabel married Uncle Farlan and they had Oliver, Eldin, and Jinny. Then your daddy and I met and Aunt Mikasa had Hayden. We were desperately in love so we got married and wanted to have babies, but we couldn't...not by ourselves."

"Because you're both boys."

Levi nodded, happy that the children all seemed calm and interested.

"That's right. We're both boys and only people with mommy parts and daddy parts can make a baby so we had to be a little creative. That was when Hayden's mommy, Aunt Mikasa offered to be our  _ surrogate _ \- that's a person who has babies for people who can't do it themselves. Daddy and I went to see a very special baby doctor who took part of me and part of daddy and mixed it up with eggs that were donated by another mommy. Then that special doctor put you and Sammy inside Aunt Mikasa and she carried you and gave birth to you the same way she had Hayden." 

Levi was quiet for a moment as the children digested this information. They all knew it in some form or another but to Levi's knowledge it had never been discussed fully like this. Sam spoke tentatively. 

"Does that mean that me and Emmie kind of have  _ two _ moms  _ and _ two dads? Is Hayden our sister or our cousin?"

Levi smiled at that thought.

"No sweetheart. You have  _ one _ biological mom and  _ one _ biological dad. Aunt Mikasa carried you and kept you safe, but no parts of her went into making you. Hayden is your cousin, just like Jinny, Ollie, Eld, Kyle, Linden, and Mallory."

Emily sat forward looking at the photograph again and then back at him suspiciously. 

"But wait...if we're all cousins how come sometimes Kyle and Hayden call you 'father'?"

Levi kept his face in check even as his heart fluttered. Hayden turned red and looked away. 

"That's because i'm  _ like _ a father to them, princess. Because I love them the same as I love you. Hayden's biological father gave Aunt Mikasa a part of him the way your biological mother gave us a part of you. Even though you will never meet those people, they still helped create you."

Levi was surprised when Hayden piped up with a quiet question of her own.

"Why won't we meet them?"

Levi smiled and shrugged. 

"Everybody wants different things out of life. Sam and Emmie's mommy wanted to donate her eggs so that somebody down the road could have a baby who wanted them. She didn't leave any way for us to contact her. Your biological father was more like Uncle Kenny...he knew he wouldn't be any good as a dad so he left you to the people who would love you  _ twice _ as much as he could."

Emily shifted in his lap and looked at him with sober eyes.

"Is it true then...that you're not my father? You said we each have  _ one _ biological dad and one biological mom. Michael was right, wasn't he? I don't look anything like you or Sammy...I look like cousin Mallory."

Levi found himself taking a steadying breath once again. He wanted to deny it at the top of his lungs but he would not lie to his children. They were old enough now that they would figure out the truth, regardless. 

"I am not your biological father, no. Biologically, you were made from daddy and the same mommy that made Sammy. You and your twin are actually step-siblings, which means you have the same mother and different fathers. But I  _ am _ your dad, Emily. I was the very first person who held you the day you were born and both my name and daddy's are on your birth certificate. I didn't make you, but you  _ are _ my child in every single other way."

He turned to Sam who was staring at the family photo.

"The same way you belong to daddy. And as for Michael Blakeney, why don't we invite him and his family over for dinner? Some people live very sad lives with hatred in their hearts because they don't understand that the only thing you need to make the perfect family is love. The only thing we can do is show those people that no matter how much they may hate us, we will never stop loving them or each other." 

Jinny batted a tear off her cheek and looked over Levi's shoulder toward the kitchen. Levi looked around and saw Renata.

"Mr. Levi? I thought instead of lemonade, maybe we could have ice cream sundaes?"

Sam and Emily perked up instantly and after tight, squeezing hugs popped off his lap and ran into the kitchen. Hayden walked more slowly, glancing up at him sheepishly. 

"I didn't mean to call you 'dad'... it just kinda slipped out…"

"I meant what I said kiddo, if you want to call me dad, you know I'll answer." 

She nodded soberly, so like her mother, and skipped off into the kitchen. Jinny squeezed his arm. Her likeness to Kuchel and Mikasa had faded over the years, leaving her with dark Auburn hair, pale blue eyes, and a close resemblance to Isabel. They were gonna have a serious problem with suitors in a few years. 

"You always know what to say, Uncle Levi."

His lips twitched and he shrugged.

"Love isn't really that hard to explain, JinJin." 

She looked at him speculatively for another moment and then walked toward the kitchen.

"Are you coming?"

He waved her off.

"I'll be there in a minute."

Levi ran his hands through his hair and wandered into the entry hall, halting in front of the mirror by the door. His shirt was rumpled and stained, but it didn't do much to mar his appearance. He worried sometimes that aging would keep him from enjoying his young family, but thanks to a combination of exercise, healthy eating, and good solid genetics, he was practically the same at fifty two as he had been at thirty two. Eren complained occasionally that he must have found the fountain of youth, but Levi just laughed and teased him for aging. Truthfully, he couldn't even do that with a straight face. Eren was just as breathtaking as ever, only now, solidly in his thirties, he had the confidence in himself he had lacked as a teenager.

The front door swung open and Eren stepped through, nearly colliding with him as he dropped his keys into the dish on the entry table. Levi caught him and spun him up against the wall in one deft move, pulling him into a deep, lingering kiss. His husband reacted with surprise but quickly melted into him, winding his arms around his shoulders and scraping his nails through his undercut. When he pulled back so they could both catch their breath Eren lifted his phone to his ear and said breathlessly,

"Sorry, Zeke, I'll call you back."

He hung it up and slipped it into his pocket as Levi huffed out a laugh.

"Sorry..."

"Not that I mind, but to what do I owe the pleasure of such a thorough welcome home?"

Levi held him tightly around the waist and pressed his lips against his jaw.

"Can't I kiss the love of my life for no reason?"

Eren laughed and tipped his head to the side giving Levi better access to his neck. He took the invitation and ran with it, sliding his tongue down the graceful column of Eren's throat and sucking on his collar bone. He tasted like sunshine and saltwater which made sense. Eren was still surfing competitively but spent most of his time in the "off season" running a not-for-profit surf school for Miami-Dade's at-risk youth. He must have been "teaching" today.

"I mean you  _ can _ , but what's wrong, Levi?"

He sighed and rested his head against Eren's chest, enjoying the uneven thump of his husband's heart. It was a miracle to him that they were still so affected by each other. 

"One of the twins' asshole schoolmates decided today would be a good time to tell them we were all going to burn in hell.  _ And _ that Emmie isn't really my daughter- which of course means by extension that Sammy isn't yours either…"

He felt Eren's fingers spasm on his shoulders and quickly explained how he handled the situation, including that all the children were now quite patched up and enjoying ice cream sundaes. He rested his chin on Eren's shoulder as the younger man digested all the information. 

"...sorry for the surprise attack, I just really needed to recharge."

Eren took Levi's face in his hands and caressed his cheeks, kissing him lightly before they melted together again. 

"That's me, your perso nal human battery-pack."

They stayed determinately glued together until they heard Emmie's voice from the kitchen,

"Where is he? The ice cream is all gonna melt!"

And Sammy's voice much closer than that,

"Oh, daddy just got home and they're kissing.  _ Again _ ."

Eren chuckled into their kiss and they broke apart to beam down at their seven year old son who was regarding them with the tolerant disgust with which any seven year old would view two people kissing. If there was one thing Levi was absolutely sure of, it was that his children, and all the Ackerman children, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, would grow up knowing exactly what love looked like. 

"Hi daddy!"

Sammy smiled up at Eren with his shining silver eyes and his husband stooped to plant a kiss on the child's forehead. 

"How's the Shire, Samwise?"

Levi rolled his eyes, but his son answered with dead seriousness as he led them into the kitchen.

"There is unrest in the world of men…"

Eren ruffled his hair and winked at him as he dropped a kiss on Emmie's head as well. 

"Your dad and I are gonna fix that, kiddo."

Sam pressed his lips together and nodded as joy leaked back into his eyes little by little. He was always a serious little thing, but he had faith in his heart that his dads could fix  _ anything _ . 

"I know."

Eren sat down and loaded up another bowl of ice cream and passed Levi a spoon- he knew his husband would never eat his own, so sharing was the only way to satisfy the children that Levi had actually eaten some. He scooped out a spoonful of butter pecan mixed with a sickening amount of chocolate syrup and looked up as Kyle and Ollie emerged from his office, flushed and triumphant from their successful meeting. He nodded to them with an approving grin and took another sweeping glance at the chattering children clustered around the breakfast bar. 

Nobody on earth could convince him that he didn't have the most perfect family in existence. 

° ☆ °

Eren strolled out of the bathroom, drying his hair, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. He didn't bother to get dressed, hoping he wouldn't need his clothes, but there was a tiny bit of doubt in his mind. Ice cream sundaes had ruined everyone's appetite so dinner was late and getting the children to bed ran even later. Levi had already had a long day and had to be up early tomorrow for a meeting with one of U.MEC's subsidiaries. It was quite possible that he was already asleep...which Eren would force himself to accept gracefully. It would be  _ terrible _ of him to wake his husband up for sex by rubbing his naked body against him...terribly selfish…

Fortunately, he needn't have worried. 

Levi peered at him over the tops of his glasses, raising an elegant black eyebrow at how he was displaying himself. He reclined against the headboard clad in his pajamas, swathed in a robe the children had picked out for him during pride month last year. It always cracked him up to see his serious, not remotely flamboyant husband wrapped in a rainbow colored robe, but he wore it with dignity and not the slightest bit of discomfort. 

"You know I have an early morning tomorrow…"

Eren halted at the edge of bed and ran his fingers through his rapidly drying hair. He kept it shorter now, which was more convenient, even if he did mourn the loss of Levi being able to yank at it during sex. 

"I know…."

He dropped the towel from his hips and slowly crawled up on the bed.

"And yet you still-"

"Mhmmmm."

He nuzzled at Levi's crotch through the layers of material, gratified to feel him awakening. He had definitely gotten lucky in  _ that _ department with his husband. Levi leaned his head back and exhaled as he rubbed his cheek against his length. 

"Eren…"

"Just relax, babe, I'll do everything…"

He scooted up the older man's body and opened his robe, pleased to see he was shirtless beneath it, as he ran his hands appreciatively up shredded abs and a sculpted chest. He traced their children's names. He and Levi had had them both inked over their hearts. 

"I love you. I love you,  _ I love you _ …"

He murmured the words over and over as he sank down again, pulling Levi's stiffening cock from his bottoms and licking him hard. He was still whispering it when the breathy words became moans because he was straddling his husband, sinking down on him to the hilt. 

Levi bit his lip and muttered a strangled  _ fuck _ . He sat up, a simple yet mouthwatering flex of his abs and laid his reading glasses on the bedside table. He turned his attention back to the man on his cock and gripped his ass hard, holding him slightly suspended.

"You really think I'm just going to lay here, baby?"

Eren panted and looked at him from under his eyelashes as his cock twitched between them.

"I...I was hoping you might... _ ahh _ !"

Levi didn't wait for him to finish. Bending his knees for leverage, he thrust up into Eren's body, holding him fast against the ruthless onslaught. 

"Cheeky little thing...thinking...you can just...have it all your way…"

Eren leaned back and braced himself, letting his hips buck and rode his husband, meeting him thrust for delicious thrust. He felt like fire was surging through his body, burning straight into his soul from every point where they connected. He moaned and cursed and flung his head back, crying his pleasure shamelessly as he climaxed. Levi sat up and gripped him hard. He wrapped his legs around the other man's waist and ground down hard, milking Levi to completion with his body's internal spasms. 

They fell back on the pillows, catching their breath together as their heart rates eased back to a normal rhythm. Eren would have loved to just lay there for the rest of his life, but after a decade and a half he knew his husband too well. Levi lifted him effortlessly and they made their way to the bathroom to clean up before returning to bed and climbing under the sheets. Eren reclaimed his spot on Levi's chest and closed his eyes as beloved fingers traced familiar patterns on his shoulder. The thoughts that had been piercing his mind like needles all evening bubbled to the surface.

"We didn't make a huge mistake bringing those kids into the world, right?" 

Levi stopped and tilted his chin up, forcing their eyes together.

"What would make you say something like that?"

Eren couldn't back down now. He had no secrets from this man, they were partners in every way. 

"Bringing innocent victims into a world that will never fully accept them because of who  _ we _ are. Michael Blakeney is just the beginning. It's going to get worse and you know it."

Levi studied him for a moment and kissed him gently on the forehead. 

"Where's your fighting spirit, love? Of all the crazy things you have ever convinced me to do, nothing has made me more thankful to be alive than our children. They have two parents who love and accept them, who will move heaven and earth to give them a beautiful life. Emmie and Sam will  _ never _ be victims, Eren. So what if our family looks different than other families? We both grew up with single moms...there was a time when that wasn't accepted either."

Eren wiped tears from his eyes.

"How did you get so wise?"

Levi smiled at him, his exhaustion finally showing through.

"I'm a hundred years old. I better have gained some wisdom in all this time."

Eren chuckled and kissed his shoulder. 

"Don't go rushing things. Half a century is old enough for now."

Levi grumbled at him.

"Whipper snapper…"

Eren snorted and they both laughed.

"Go to sleep already, every minute you're awake after ten p.m. apparently ages you ten years."

Levi smacked him gently on the shoulder.

"I'm trying over here. My roommate won't stop talking."

Eren leaned up and connected their lips one more time in a goodnight kiss. After only a few minutes Levi's breathing evened out. Eren laid across his husband's chest, listening to the strong, soothing beat of his heart. The glow from the pool lights outside their window glinted off the well worn, solid gold band around his finger. Whatever the future held, now and forever, he and Levi would face it together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Lovelies! That One Summer has developed a substantial amount of it's own mythology at this point, which I realized I might not have properly explained. The person named Mallory who is mentioned in this chapter is Eren's niece, the daughter of Tori and Zeke and younger sister to their son Linden (who I mentioned once in a previous chapter.) She is a couple years younger than Sam and Emily. Eld isn't in this chapter because he is busy getting his PhD in Marine Biology. Renata (who was also only mentioned as a side character) is Marco's younger sister. Speaking of whom...Marco is a Pediatric Immunologist at Holtz Children's hospital, he and Jean are still together, and they live in a loft on South Beach.
> 
> Your support means everything ♡  
> Stay healthy and Safe!  
> ♡DiLo


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